Spellbinder
by Rhea Hiryuu
Summary: Set after ‘Spellbound’ She’d learned to move on, that is until the ‘real’ Rorek somehow appeared before the Titans. Now Raven’s finding it hard to deal with the past, especially when Malchior begins to haunt her. Ror,Rae,Mal
1. Poetry

A/N: (Flinches away from boos she gets from people who are angry at her for starting another fic) Okay! My first non-anime/game fanfic, so be nice. This revolves around my favorite character on Teen Titans, Raven! I got the inspiration to write it after watching Spellbound (duh), and I _did_ do some research on Raven so, don't worry, I _know_ what I'm screwing up. J/K! Ahem. It is a Rorek, Raven, and Malchior love triangle, however Malchior won't be appearing for a while, and Rorek…well you'll just have to read the chapter.

PS: I do not own Raven, or the Teen Titans. The poems and the 'magic book' she's reading, however, are _mine_! Oh, and I don't own Nightwish, nor their songs (wish I did though). And if you haven't heard Nightwish go to and you will then realize that their music is just right for Raven and any other dark and deep characters you might have.

* * *

Blood becomes life, becomes fire, becomes air, becomes water, becomes wind, becomes earth, becomes lightning, becomes light, becomes darkness, becomes death, and death, in turn, becomes life once again. So is the endless cycle, the spiral in which no living being can escape, thought many have tried.

Blood is the first, the liquid of the body that sustains the second, life. That which is circulated throughout the body, picking up all which is noticed by the body. This blood circulates, also, through the mind, absorbing memories, thoughts, and feelings that are relinquished to the earth through a cut in the flesh. Merely by blood, by thoughts, by being, all things can be accomplished.

Blood is life, blood keeps life, but blood can also take life. The living blood of a dead god is poisonous to dragons, phoenixes, and unicorns alike. In turn, the blood of a dragon is coursing with magic, magic that can be made fatal to any creature. The blood of a phoenix, though, if mixed in the right potion, can also kill any and all who drink it. However, the blood of a unicorn is so pure, that it can sustain immortality in a being for a period of time, though with a high price.

Life is the second, and life is everything, in life all elements connect and are connected, they are—

"Hey Raaaaaveeeeen!" It never failed, _never_. Settle down with a book, any book, and you were bound to be interrupted.

"What?!" Raven demanded through the door.

"We have a moooovie I think you'll liiiiiiike." Beast Boy called.

Raven sighed, marked her place, and got up to go see what Beast Boy could possibly think she would enjoy. She opened the door and was instantly bombarded with both Beast Boy and Cyborge in her face. "It's da baddest most bomb diggidy sweet movie in existence!" Cyborge exclaimed.

"Not even out in the movies, and yet _we_ got it on DVD yo!" BB exclaimed, showing her a plane black DVD case.

"What?" Raven cocked an eyebrow, not at all impressed by their praise. They had the same enthusiasm for Stink Ball, and while it _was_ rather fun when she had complete control over the ball, the actual game itself was stupid.

"It's the scariest, the funniest, the slap-you-in-the-face goriest movie eva!" Cyborge exclaimed.

"Arf, arf, arf, aroooooo!" BB called, half turning into a dog. Raven had the distinct urge to morph him into a cat, but resisted. She wasn't exactly suppose to use the powers she had gained through Malchior. No one else had said this to her, however, she'd made that rule herself, but that was probably because no one else knew she had kept the spells after resealing Malchior.

"But what is it?" Raven asked, still completely unimpressed.

"Dude, weren't you listening? It's a movie, a mooooovie! A horror movie, get it?" BB exclaimed, morphing back.

Raven leered at him.

"Okay, okay, so we don't exactly know what it is, yet, but we paid 30 bucks for it so it _has_ ta be good!" Beast Boy insisted.

Raven's door slid closed.

"Aw, come on Rae, _pleeeeeeeeease_?" BB exclaimed as they continued to knock on her door.

"Yeah, none of the others will watch it with us!" Cyborge exclaimed.

"I wonder why." Raven called back. She floated over to her bed and sat down, reopening her book while pointedly ignoring the begging of the two boys.

Life is the second, and life is everything, in life all elements connect and are connected, they are all a part of the spiral of reality, the ring of infinity that will continue until one day too much energy is lost in the void and everything shall finally end with death.

The elements of life are—

Knock, knock, knock. Raven's eye twitched with each knock. _Maybe if I ignore them they'll go away._ She thought. Knock, knock, knock. Raven slammed her book shut (after marking her place of course) and levitated it back into its spot on one of her bookshelves while she walked over to her door. "What?" She questioned blandly.

It was Starfire this time.

"Pleasant day to you Raven! I was wondering if you would like to come with me to the mall of shopping so that we may indulge ourselves in the pastime of teen females that is called 'girl time'!" She said, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

Again? Raven thought. There seemed to be a pattern growing here. Ever since Malchior the other Titans had been making sure to include her, whether she wanted it or not, especially during her usual withdrawing periods. She wasn't getting depressed or anything, she just needed nice, long periods of time where she was alone to meditate and read her books. "Starfire, I really would like to—"

"I knew you might say no, but guess what! I found this place I _know_ you'll really, really like! It's dark and has books and dark clothing, and candles, and stuff Robin told me was for an earth form of magic called witchcraft. Even Beast Boy agrees that you would like it! It even has a café where you can sit down and just read." Starfire said.

Now Raven was interested. But what was the point of buying more books if she couldn't even read the ones she had without being interrupted somehow. Perhaps she could figure something out, though reading in the living room was hardly peaceful. "Alright, I'll go with you." Raven said after thinking it over.

"Hooray! We shall have much fun! I have long wished to discover the joys of reading this world's literature, but do not know what to pick for there is so much." Starfire rambled as Raven walked down the hall with her in the direction of the exit.

"Why go shopping when you can watch an extra sweet movie with your two favorite guys?!" Beast Boy popped up with Cyborge close behind.

"Two? More like one." Raven raised an eyebrow and looked at them, "And where _is_ Robin?" She asked.

"Oh, das mean Rae, das below da belt, yo." Cyborge booed as the two girls proceeded to leave them behind, Starfire giggling uncontrollably and Raven, as usual, not even giving her own joke a smirk.

* * *

Curse me now, this demon blood

Curse me too, oh shining flood

Leave me broken in the rain

My white silk, to me is shame

Fill the earth with star-filled light

Falling from the moonless night

Waste away, my golden hair

A rusted cup for me to—

"Raven, might I ask a question?" Starfire spoke, for the _5th time_.

"Go ahead." Raven sighed, looking up from her poetry, grudgingly.

"Is it customary to wear black in places like this?" She asked, "And do all of earth's books portray such dark and gloomy aspects of life?"

"In stores like these, the answer is yes to both questions." Raven answered. It was true, Starfire, while she fit in perfectly in other places, stuck out like a soar thumb here. The entire place was filled with black attire, dark unnaturally colored hair, and pale skin. Starfire's entire appearance, however, was as preppy as Raven was gothic. And the store itself was bleak as well. With dim lights, dark wall paper with gothic designs, carpet with gothic designs and dark colors, and everything gothic, it was _not_ the sort of place you'd find someone like Starfire, trying to read the (very gothic) books they had on the shelves. It was also very different here because, while on the usual school campus Starfire would have boys staring at _her_ and stepping _away_ from Raven, it was the other way around. Well, actually, while the guys were checking Raven out, everyone else was glaring at Starfire for daring to enter their sanctum. Raven made a mental note to _never_ allow Starfire back in this shop, while she would probably be coming here quite often now that she had discovered it.

After Starfire gave her 'Oh' and went back to _trying_ to enjoy reading the depressing book, Raven looked back down at the poetry she was trying to read.

Waste away, my golden hair

A rusted cup for me to bear

A shining stream of bloody tears

Continues flowing despite the years

Wounds of heart that never close

Round about the soul it goes

Chained, imprisoned in furious blood

Shackled, abandoned in pitiless mud

Let me out, cries the demon's son

His words unheard, his power undone

"Raven?"

"Starfire, if you aren't enjoying yourself why don't you go on to the mall? I'll be fine by myself." Raven interrupted.

"Oh, well, alright. I shall see you later today. Perhaps tomorrow you will accompany me to the place of healthy hair and colored nails." Starfire said, getting up to put the book back.

You and what army? Raven wanted to say, but she fought it back and said, "Yeah, maybe." Without much enthusiasm. She turned the page of her book.

Gone with the grave, my auburn hair

Gone with the grave, my bright green eyes

Gone with the grave, my face once fair

Gone with the grave, my seductive lies

A burning veil for my prideful sin

A hollow well for my impure mind

A blazing ring for my hated kin

A cool oasis for me, death is kind

I don't deserve this timeless peace

I don't deserve this free forgiveness

I don't deserve this golden piece

I don't deserve this holy bri—

Raven looked up, but not because of someone interrupting her, again, but because of what she was currently hearing playing in the background. It was a song, a song by a band she had never heard before, which wasn't surprising considering even their alternative _style_ was dark and different. The music was rock music alright, but the lead singer had the voice style of someone from the opera, though it was much more bearable since she wasn't singing impossibly high notes. Raven listened closely to the lyrics as they played.

Leave me be  
And cease to tell me how to feel  
To grieve, to shield myself from evil  
Leave me be  
Od of lies is killing me  
Romanticide  
Till love do me part

Raven stood up and walked over to the front desk of the store. "Excuse me." She said.

The woman looked up from adjusting her eye makeup, "Can I help you?" She asked in a low voice.

"Who is singing the song currently playing?" Raven asked, her voice, as usual, not betraying any of her interest.

"That would be Nightwish. This particular song is called Romanticide, from their newest album Once. You can find all their albums over there." She said, jerking her thumb to where the shelves of CDs were kept.

Nightwish had 6 entire albums. Raven picked out Once first, then, after checking to make sure she had enough money left over from the CD and book, bought Oceanborn and Wishmaster as well.

(A/N: Nightwish rules! :) )

* * *

"What?" Raven cocked an eyebrow. She had just gotten back from Alabaster's, the place Starfire had found for her, and everyone was giving her nervous looks.

"Uh, Raven, er…" Beast Boy began nervously.

"Now, don't fly off the hook or anything but uh…" Cyborge said.

Robin rolled his eyes, "There's been a break in, it happened while you, Starfire, and I were all out and these two were watching their movie. And, well, the only place they entered was your room." He said.

Raven's eyes widened and her hair began to fly, "They _what_?" She asked, slowly and smoothly. She set her bag down on the coffee table and flew up, phasing through the ceiling and walls until she got to her room. Black smoke began to emit from her as she saw what happened.

Her books had been taken out of the shelves and thrown onto the ground, as if whoever had broken in was looking for something. Her drawers were all upturned, clothes were everywhere, her jewelry boxes, candles, and even her bedsheets had been gone through. She unlocked the door to the large closet where she kept all of her spell and potion ingredients, and found that all the cupboards, drawers, and even the containers for the potions had been searched, in spite of the locked door.

But the thing was, nothing had been stolen, just searched.

Raven came out, thoroughly steamed. "They went into my room, no one should _ever_ come into my room." She said. Beast Boy stopped in mid-step, and decided not to go in with Robin and Starfire.

"There's blood on the window, Raven, was that door locked?" Robin asked, inspecting the shattered glass. Raven nodded. "Our culprit looks like they could go through walls, but not in a hurry." He assessed. "The alarm sounded after I knocked on your door, but remembered Beast Boy and Cyborge said you and Star went out." He told her. "Unfortunately, I didn't hear the glass break over the alarm, and it wasn't until I got to the control room that we found out it was your room that had been breached."

"Even though the alarm only sounded when the dude was trying to get _out_ fast." Beast Boy said, still lingering by the door.

Raven frowned as she fingered her bloodstained curtains. They'd ripped with the glass as well, meaning she'd need to get new ones. And she'd just spent all her pocket money on those books and Nightwish CDs too.

"Oh what a horrible thing to happen, dear Raven! I shall insist upon helping you clean up as the sworn duty of a fellow girl!" Starfire exclaimed. Robin and Raven looked at each other.

"Uh, is it just me, or has Star been reading a little too many girl bonding magazines?" Beast Boy asked in an undertone.

"No." Raven said flatly, causing Starfire to falter in the air. "I can search for clues more efficiently if I do it alone." She raised her hands to the window. They emitted the black light, and then the glass, also, emitted black, including what was outside. She put the broken glass back into their places on the window and removed the cracks. That, at least, she could fix so long as she had all the pieces. _Fabric_, on the other hand, was a different matter altogether.

"Alright, if you find anything make sure you tell us." Robin said, walking out of the room.

"Are you sure you do not require any assistance?" Starfire asked.

"Yes. And if I do need some help, I'll be sure to tell you." Raven assured, irritation becoming apparent in her voice.

"Very well, friend Raven." Starfire said before leaving the room as well.

When the door was closed Raven summoned her shopping bag into her hand before anyone (couchBeastBoycough) could poke their noses into it. Raven pulled out Once and, removing the classical CD already in there, put it in her (rather dusty) stereo system. She then put the classical CD back into its case and the case into the CD holders (which had been completely ignored, actually).

Raven sat cross-legged in the air and began to go through her books first, making sure to mend bent pages, or torn pages, while she placed them back into their order. Spell books went into one set of shelves, story books into another, and poetry into the last. She looked through them all, most seemed as though they'd been glanced at and then tossed aside in a hurry, some looked like they'd actually been opened. Nothing, however, had been stolen.

The clothes that littered her floor looked like they had merely been tossed aside in order to search better within her clothing closet and drawers. Most of her clothes just needed to be straightened out in their respective places in her drawers and on their hangers. Her underwear drawer, she noticed, had hardly been touched. Actually it looked like this person had opened it, and then closed it right back up as nothing was a miss. Of all the things for a burglar to have it would be decency, too bad her overall décor wasn't enough to scare them off. If anything it'd tell them that she wasn't going to tolerate someone going through her stuff.

Her jewelry, also, had only been gone through. None of it was stolen, she made sure of that. She found nothing missing at all, she even noticed some articles she'd forgotten she had. That wasn't surprising, however, since she hardly ever wore anything but her costume on a regular basis.

Again, her potion stuffs had been looked through, but nothing stolen. All she had to do was straighten it out a bit. Her stuff, stuff, had just been looked through, nothing taken, nothing given much consideration. Raven checked the secret room behind the black angel tapestry, where she kept things she'd rather not have.

Like Malchior's book.

Nothing in there had even been touched, she could tell because of the dust she had been purposely having accumulate in there, seemed whoever it was didn't know about this place. A good thing too, if she was right, their culprit was most likely after something in here.

* * *

"Did you find anything?" Robin asked when Raven came into the living room.

"Nothing was stolen, whoever it was, was searching for something specific, probably something I have hidden, or something I don't have at all." Raven answered.

"We also know that they can go through walls, but have to concentrate to do it." Robin said.

"Whatever it is they were after, they seemed pretty certain Raven had it." Beast Boy said.

"Or they're just very thorough about their work, Raven do you—"

BWEEEEP BWEEEEEP BWEEEEEEP!

"It never fails." Raven said with a sigh.

"We'll have to descuss this later. Titans, lets go!" Robin said.

* * *

"Whooo! I am _pooped_!" Cyborge exclaimed, practically falling onto the couch. Beast Boy turned into a cat and curled up on top of him. "Get off me, man, that's sick!" Cyborge exclaimed, shoving the kitten BB off him.

"It's not sick, I'm a cat!" He exclaimed.

"It is too late for more arguing. If you do not cease soon, I will sing the Baled of Eternal Irritation used to torment prisoners of war." Starfire said. Cyborge and Beast Boy both gave her wide-eyed looks of shock.

"When Starfire starts making threats it really is time to go to bed." Raven said.

"Agreed." Robin yawned.

Raven didn't bother to phase through the walls, instead she just walked. This particular emergency had required more tireless effort than actual power. There had been a rock concort going on and their biggest concern was keeping the people from panicking and hurting themselves (and each other) during the attack. This was best handled with Raven's empathic abilities, as well as telekinetics. Therefore, _she_ should be the one complaining the most about being tired.

Half way up the stairs Raven looked down, and found one of Starfire's magazines, entitled "Girl Friends". Raven cocked an eyebrow, but a few glances through refuted any suspicions she might have been getting. There was nothing lesbian, just friendship and such. "Choosing your friends wisely", "Keeping in touch with far away friends", "What to get your girl friend", "100 ways to get closer to your friend", stuff like that. Very Starfire.

Raven rolled up the magazine and continued to her room, she'd give it back to Starfire in the morning. For now, better she had it than one of the guys. There was no telling _what_ they'd do with it.

Raven entered her room and locked the door, as she usually did, and went into her closet. It wasn't as big as the one she kept her magical items and ingredients in, but it was big enough for her to change in. And she preferred to change in some small, closed in space. There was less chance of someone peeping, or walking in on her while she was doing it. Her nightgown was black, and very long. It was a little form-fitting, but she didn't mind. The fabric was comfortable, and she liked the silver pentacle it had on the chest. She liked the way she looked in it, but wouldn't be caught dead wearing it out in public.

She left her closet, throwing the clothes she had worn down the laundry shoot for the automatic washer to have completely clean the next morning, and then went over to her bed. She arranged her pillows up and switched on her lamp. She summoned her new poetry book from its new place on her shelves and then made the stereo restart her new CD.

It was a pleasant combination, if rather confusing to keep up with. It was like she was both listening and reading poetry at the same time. Upon listening closely to Nightwish's lyrics, there was no doubt she'd have to buy their other CDs as well, if only to have a proper collection. She would listen to the other CDs tomorrow, right now Once was very good.

Raven glanced up for a moment, but then looked back down at her book. A moment later she yawned and closed it, levitating it back onto its shelf, and then reaching over to turn off her lamp. She then laid down in her bed, her music playing in the background, the moonlight shining through her window and onto her bed, painting an even more peaceful portrait.

Moments passed, and then a shadow moved slightly in the room. "Azrath, Metriom, Zynthos!" Raven was suddenly sitting straight up in her bed, her eyes filled with white lightening, her hands glowing a black even darker than the night, and the shadowy figure was suddenly bound with a rope of black light turned to matter. "No one comes into, nor defiles, my room without suffering the consequences." She said. As if her voice didn't scare the figure enough, she was now floating in the air before the one who had broken into her room, the force of the energy surrounding her was causing her skirt and flared sleeves to flow about her form, black lightening crackling from her hands and all about the room.

"I can quite understand that, believe me I had no intention of 'defiling' your room in the least." Said a pained, British accent. "But, you see, I had little choice in the matter. If you'll just let me explain." That voice, she _knew_ that voice!

Raven relinquished the power she had summoned, including the rope that was binding the figure, and turned on the little-used lights. White hair, black body suit, armor, a scarf over half his face, and those crystal blue eyes she knew so well, yet didn't at the same time. "Rorek?!" She gasped.

* * *

A/N: CLIFHANGER!!! MUAHAHAHAHAHA! Ahem, okay anyways, my friend _did_ point out to me that, on a regular basis, the initial reaction of one to the voice of someone they don't particularly like (big understatement I know) would be to blast them into itty bitty sticky bits, but let's say Raven's too shocked to do so, okay? Okay. Oh, and the reason Rorek's there will be explained in the next chapter, which will not be released unless I get at least _one_ review. : ) aren't I evil? So yeah, come on people, press the pretty button, you know you wanna.

PS: Yes, I _know_ my spelling sucks worse than a vacuum cleaner, you people do _not_ have to remind me of this. Besides, I think the story itself is a _little_ more important than the spelling, so bleeeeeeh.

__


	2. Encounter

A/N: Yay! Lotsa reviews, I am happy. Keep it up peoples. And you can sample Nightwish songs at their website , they have some Mp3s so you can get an idea of their style. (THEY ROCK!!! NIGHTWISH IS THE BEST BAND IN DA WORLD YO!)

* * *

Raven leered, "No, it's impossible, who are you?" She demanded, her eyes turning white again.

"No, you were right, I am Rorek. But how do you know me?" He asked, gathering himself up. "Wait, you must have read the book, so you have it then." He said.

"You're not Rorek, he lived over a thousand years ago, who are you and why are you so interested in that book?" Raven asked, not relinquishing her power again as she stood before him, prepared to bind him again least he try anything.

"Please, let me explain, I am Rorek, I am the one who sealed the dread dragon Malchior in that book. It may seem impossible that I could be so old, but if you will allow me to explain everything will become clear." He assured, holding his hands up in an attempt to show that he held no weapon or had no intention of doing harm.

Raven allowed the lightning to die down, but her eyes still glowed white with power to show she still wasn't going to trust him. She fell for this trick once, she wasn't about to let another imposter gain her trust. "Start talking." She ordered.

"It's true, that battle was wedged a thousand years ago, and since then I have had my share of adventures, none of which proved quite as dangerous, but then a seer revealed to me that one day Malchior may be able to rise again, and that no one would be able to stop him unless I was able to preserve my power. So I sealed myself to a jewel that had been imbedded with a torn page of the book so that, if ever Malchior's power might surface, I would be reawakened to do battle one last time. Fortunately, I see Malchior has yet to be fully released, but I know that it is only a matter of time. Please, I implore you, give me the book. I must destroy it soon, or Malchior will awaken." He explained.

Raven let her power die down, but she leered at him dangerously. He didn't know that Malchior had already been awakened, nor did he know that she had resealed him within the book. Perhaps she could trick him into revealing himself, and the instant he did, not _only_ was he going back out the window the painful way, but he would then have all 5 of the Teen Titans to deal with.

"Alright, say I believe your story, how do I know that you're not some imposter whose real intentions are to awaken Malchior yourself? And if you are really Rorek, why didn't you destroy the book a thousand years ago when you had it?" She asked him.

"I had thought to seal the book away forever with powerful and ancient magics, magics that not even _I_ could get back through, nor relinquish. But it seems that, because I was sealed instead of killed, my spell's power slowly diminished, and then dissipated altogether. Either that, or a wizard grater than I was able to take the book from its place. I do not know. And also, at the time I had not the means to destroy the book and destroy Malchior both together." He explained.

"How did you know the book is here?" She asked him.

"This is where I felt the awakening power flow from and into the jewel I was sealed in." He answered.

Raven frowned, so far everything he said was quite probable. From Malchior's teachings, she even knew the spell he had used to seal himself, _and_ to make sure he reawakened when Malchior's power was beginning to surface, or awaken. But maybe she could still catch him. "What jewel did you use?" She asked.

"Alabaster." He answered immediately, "Encased in a silver set."

"What was the incantation to the curse you used to seal Rorek?" She asked him.

"Is this an interrogation of some sort?" He asked.

"Maybe." She answered.

"You'll never be satisfied that way." He said. "Especially if you are convinced I'm not to be trusted. And, to be honest, I am not at all convinced _you_ are to be trusted either."

"Oh, and I suppose that's why you decided to plunder my room instead of confronting me about it?" She asked.

"Would _you_ be inclined to trust someone who often hides their face in the shadow of a cloak? Not to mention your choice of décor." He questioned.

"You're one to talk." She muttered back. "All I can see of _your_ face are your eyes."

"Touché. It seems we are both on equal grounds." He said. "Perhaps there is a way to find a common ground, but now is not the time. I assure you, my only intentions are to destroy the book." He told her.

Raven frowned, something wasn't right here. If the natural way to destroy the book would set Malchior free, wouldn't he have told Raven to do it? _Perhaps he didn't know,_ said a voice in her head, _It is possible that Malchior would think that, because he was bound to the book, he would burn with it if it also burned._ She thought. Perhaps she would give him the benefit of _that_ doubt, but she wasn't just going to give him the book.

"I cannot let you have it." She said.

"You don't understand, if I do not destroy it quickly, Malchior might be released!" He exclaimed, taking a step forward in his urgency. Raven began to crackle with power again. Rorek stepped back, his eyes were unsure, they were telling her that he was considering whether or not to challenge her power. She appeared the formidable foe indeed. Then suddenly his eyes widened slightly, and something was shut off. He blocked her empathy. "You are powerful, I don't wish to fight you." He said, "But I must insist that you give me the book, if you have it here." He said.

"It's here, but it's been locked away." She told him.

"A wise decision, but I'm afraid it won't hold Malchior if he will truly awaken." He said.

"He won't, I made sure of that." She told him.

"How can you be certain?" he questioned.

"And if I didn't want you to know?" She asked, raising an eyebrow as if to dare him to challenge her.

"Well met, sorceress. Perhaps, then, there is time for us to find a common ground." He said. Raven opened her mouth to reply,

_BWEEEEP BWEEEEEP BWEEEEEEP!_

"Of course." Raven grumbled.

"What is that?!" Rorek exclaimed.

"The alarm, someone's in trouble." She answered going into her closet. She then used her power to swiftly change from her nightgown into a spare costume and came back out, hood over her face. "This way." She said.

"You want me to come with you?" He asked.

"You're not staying in my room." She told him flatly, opening the door.

"Fair enough." He returned, sprinting after her as she flew down the hall, down the stairs, and into the living room.

"It's too late!" Beast Boy was exclaiming.

"Hey Raven, we have...Who's this?" Robin asked.

"This is the one who broke into my room." Raven answered darkly.

"Dude! And he's not dead yet?!" Beast Boy exclaimed, looking at Rorek with shock.

"I have gotten very little sleep, it is too late and too early at the same time." Starfire said as she emerged as well.

"No time to ask questions, he'll have to come with us." Robin said. "Titans, let's go!"

They ran to Cyborg's car, Rorek obediently following, and loaded up. Since it was big enough for 7 people, though it didn't look like it, there was no problem fitting an extra person in the back with Beast Boy. "Hey man, how come I gots to sit with the creepy room crasher?" He demanded.

"I am sorry if my presence is an inconvenience." Rorek said.

"Hey...I recognize that voice...(gasp!) You're—"

"Beast Boy," Raven said, she reached back and pulled him to the middle so she could whisper a few choice words into his ear. She then put him back into his seat.

Beast Boy squinted at Rorek, "Seriously, dude, are you _sure_ you're still alive?"

* * *

"If the alarm rings once again, we are not available." Starfire said. She was a wreck, her hair was everywhere, there were bags under her eyes, and her eyes themselves had lost their sparkle.

"Sorry, Star, but we've still got a few things to work out." Robin said, jerking his thumb towards Rorek, who, Raven found, had somehow managed to get a little too close to her. She floated away, giving him a suspicious look.

"Uh, right, what was your name again?" Cyborg asked.

"I am the wizard Rorek, a pleasure to make your acquaintance." He said, extending his hand in friendship.

Cyborg raised an eyebrow, "Riiiiiight, uh huh, you break into Rae's room and you think we're just gonna be all chummy and stuff? You got another thing coming, yo. Now, if it were anyone else's room, we wouldn't have this much of a problem, well, maybe if it were Star's, but still. Searching through Rae's room? That's just sick man! Hey wait, did you say you're name was Rorek?" He suddenly asked.

"Cyborg," Robin began usshuring his friend over to the rest of the group, which all huddled a ways away from Rorek. "Could you excuse us?" He asked.

"Of course." Rorek nodded.

"That's the guy who—" Cyborg began, realization in his eyes. No one was asleep anymore.

"We aren't sure, he could be another imposter." Robin said.

"Either way, if _any_ of you tell him _anything_," Raven began, dangerously.

"We get the picture." Beast Boy said, holding his hands up in defense. "But what do we do? We can't keep him here, how can we trust him? But we have to keep an eye on him because otherwise he'll just break into Rae's room again, by the way, why _was_ he in your room?" He asked.

"He wants me to give him Malchior's book, he claims he wishes to destroy it once and for all." Raven answered.

"Right, I can understand that, but what is he doing _here_? Isn't he over a thousand years old or something?" Robin questioned.

"He claims that a seer once told him Malchior would rise again, and he couldn't be stopped unless his power was preserved. So he sealed himself in a jewel, only to awaken until that time came so he could do battle with Malchior once again." Raven said.

"Sounds a little too far fetched to me." Beast Boy said.

"Actually, it's quite possible, especially if he's the wizard he says he is." Raven said, crossing her arms in consideration.

"If he were lying, he'd probably think up some more plausible story, then. How would he know that we'd be able to tell what he said was possible?" Robin asked.

"Say what?" BB questioned, "I don't get it."

"If he wanted us to believe him, he'd have come up with a more believable story, which makes the one he has seem more truthful, especially since Raven says it can be done." Robin explained.

"He still went into Raven's room." Said Cyborg with a rather creepy look in his eye.

"He went _through_ Raven's room, that's, if possible, worse." BB said with the same expression. Raven sweatdropped.

"He claims not to trust _me_, as if he's even in the position to chose whether he does or doesn't." Raven said.

"Yeah, that's bogus!" Cyborg exclaimed.

"He defiled the sanctuary of a fellow girl! Dear friend Raven, would you like me to join you in doing something incredibly unpleasant to him?" Starfire asked.

"Uh, Starfire? Are you feeling okay?" Raven asked.

"We could throw him down the laundry shoot for ya!" Cyborg offered, grinning scarily.

"That's it, all three of you, just go to bed." Raven told them.

"Uh, yeah, Raven and I can handle this." Robin said.

"Are you (yawn) sure?" Cyborg asked.

"Yes." The two said at the same time. They went without another complaint.

"What has been decided?" Rorek asked, standing up from his seat on the floor.

"Nothing yet, it's pretty late after all." Robin answered. "I guess you can crash with me until it is, though."

"'Crash'?" Rorek questioned.

"Uh, I mean you can sleep in my room for the night." Robin answered.

"Right, that being said, I think I will go 'crash' in my own room now." Raven said, floating up the stairs. She eventually got to her room and, without bothering to change again, fell onto her bed.

It wasn't long before she was once again disturbed by a knock on her door. "Who is it?" She called groggily.

"It's me," Said Beast Boy's voice.

Raven walked over to her door and opened it just enough for half her face to be visible. "Yes?" She asked.

"Um, well, I couldn't get to sleep without asking, are you okay?" He asked in concern. "I mean, I know that Malchior dude pretended to be Rorek and all...but you know, if this dude isn't the real Rorek then, Cy and I will give him a good beating, whatd'ya say?" He asked, trying to be cheery. When it didn't work his smile fell, "Well, I just wanted to make sure..."

"I'm not okay, but I'll get over it. My emotions are dangerous, remember? I must suppress them." She told him.

"Yeah I know, but if you ever just need a shoulder or something, we're all here for you." He said.

Raven's expression softened, "Thanks, I'll remember that. Goodnight." She said, closing her door.

"Goodnight Raven." Beast Boy said before leaving.

* * *

_Life is the second, and life is everything, in life all elements connect and are connected, they are all a part of the spiral of reality, the ring of infinity that will continue until one day too much energy is lost in the void and everything shall finally end with death._

_The elements of life are often thought of as products of space, time, and earth. Lightning, for example, is a product of too much energy being accumulated into the sky, conducting in the clouds, and reaching at such great levels that they are forced downward onto the earth. Pure lightning can also be called forth with the mind. Pure energy, mixed with static and electricity creates lightning so forceful it may as well have come from the clouds._

_With elements, though, there is no third or forth on a line, they are all together, they are all the third, while Death is the forth. Some select elements can be combined to create new ones, but these new elements are still products of the original. For example, water and air can be combined to make rain, water, air, and wind can create storm, which will, in turn, generate its own lightning. Lightning is pure energy, this combined with anything becomes a more powerful and, in some cases, more destructive element. But lightning can also be used as a source of power. If you take lightning apart, you can obtain several different sources of power that can be used to obtain different results for different spells._

_In fact, taking apart any element can have very interesting, though dangerous, effects. Consequentially, this is also true with Life, Death, and even Blood. But even those wizards powerful enough to safely handle these three non-elements do not dare try to master their spells. They are merely there as points of reference in the endless cycle. In this book, the reader will learn to master the elements, and understand the non-elements as well. But be warned, reader, of the danger you face if you are a truly capable sorcerer._

"Friend Raven!" Called an overly cheery voice from behind her door.

"Yes?" Raven called back, trying her best not to sound irritated. She had _just_ finished the introduction and was more than ready to proceed to the first chapter.

"In light of the new discovery, Robin says that we must postpone our trip to the malls of shopping until later, but now he would like us all to gather in the living room in order to discuss that which is delaying our trip." Starfire called.

Raven closed her book and took in a deep breath, "I'll be right down." She said.

"I shall be awaiting your companionship eagerly!" Starfire said.

_Mental note, **don't** return Starfire's magazine to her, they're doing enough damage already._ Raven thought. She then closed her eyes and cleared her head. _I must suppress my emotions, Malchior hurt me with his trickery, but I have risen above that. I am untouchable, I will not be broken again. I will face this one who claims to be Rorek with a clear mind. I will let all possibilities, no matter how unfavorable, enter my mind. I will no longer be clouded by the past._ She told herself. Meditating on that for only a little while before she deemed herself empty and cleansed of her worldly thoughts and feelings.

Raven put her hood over her head and phased through the floor and a wall before floating into the living room.

"Alright, all that's left is Beast Boy." Robin said.

"Want me to wake him?" Cyborg asked with a grin, looking _wayyyy_ to hopeful.

"Uh, no." Robin answered.

"I shall sing the Sonnet of Insomnia in order to relieve him of his laziness!" Starfire exclaimed.

"_I'll_ get him." Raven said.

"No need," Beast Boy emerged with a large yawn, "I'm here, I'm up." He assured them, though he hardly looked 'up' at all.

Robin cocked an eyebrow, but turned to Rorek, "Alrighty then. Why don't we start? Raven told us why you're here, but why don't _you_ tell us." He said.

"Perhaps I should start from the very beginning then. A thousand years ago, as you all may already know, I wedged a war with a terrible dragon who went by the name of Malchior. He was so powerful, it seemed none could stop him, not even another dragon. I defeated him, but only just so that he was sealed within my book. I was indeed a great wizard at the time, but not powerful enough to destroy the book without releasing the dragon. So I sealed it within the bowls of the earth, with magics so ancient I only had a basic knowledge of them. So, after many more adventures, I came across a seer who told me that one day Malchior would be released again, and if my power was not preserved, he would be free to wreck his vengeance upon the earth and none could stop him. So, once again, I called upon ancient magics, sealing my soul to a jewel imbedded with a page I had torn from the book previously, so that when my body died, I could be resurrected, and I would be the moment Malchior awakened once again." He explained.

"You say you tore a page from the book, if the book was sealed away so that not even you could get to it, how did you get the page?" Raven, who had been listening very closely for just such an occasion, asked.

"Well met again, Lady Raven, but you see I had taken the page before sealing the book. I knew that, with it, I would know the condition and whereabouts of the book itself with only a simple spell. And even had I not kept it with me, I may have found a way to make sure I was released when Malchior was." He answered.

"You couldn't, not without using very powerful dark magic." She told him, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Magic itself is not dark or evil, it is the person who uses it that is." He said.

"That is not true, dark magic has a mentality of its own. It seeks destruction, and not just physical destruction either. It can break the mind of one who is unable to properly use it, the effects of a dark spell gone awry are catastrophic at best." She told him.

"So it is only truly evil, and dangerous, if the caster is not in full control." Rorek refuted.

"Hey, can you two save the magic talk for later, the rest of us are having a hard time following." Beast Boy said. Raven looked around and found that, sure enough, the rest of the titans were staring at them with bemused looks on their faces.

Rorek chuckled, "Very well. After I was awakened, I thought that Malchior had arisen, I believe I caused quite a scene, especially when the jewel I had been sealed in was the centerpiece for a fair lady's accessory. I was surprised to find that I could not sense Malchior, but fortunately I knew where his power had awakened and I knew that, if I was to find him, I would have to become familiar with this future time. Thankfully, the maiden who owned my jewel was kind enough to help me. I have since been learning more about your society. Eventually I was able to find out that the place Malchior had awakened in, was in this very tower. I learned more about you through the people of the city, and actually saw when you saved many a life from some horrible creature. I saw that Raven was a powerful sorceress, and deduced that it was her who would most likely have the book. I was hoping that no one would try to enter the room, and I would have cleaned it back up once I had found the book, I assure you." He said.

"At least nothing was broken or ruined, except for my curtains and maybe the window." Raven put in.

"Sorry about that, I wasn't concentrating well enough when I tried to leave. I was that startled if you can believe it." He apologized.

"That still doesn't erase the fact that you _went into my room_." She said, her voice becoming more and more scary with each word. But she relaxed her face again and took deep, silent breaths to calm herself down. _I will **not** let him get to me. I will suppress my emotions._ She told herself.

"Well, I guess I can understand why you broke in instead of confronting us about it all, but what I _don't_ understand is why it's so important that you have the book." Robin said.

"It must be destroyed, or Malchior will forever be able to awaken, even if I have to reseal him this time, he will still be able to come back. That must not happen." Rorek told them.

"Dude, I'm all for destroying that thing!" BB exclaimed.

"I don't know about all of this, if you weren't confident enough in your own power to confront Raven face-to-face, what makes you think she won't be able to find the spell that will destroy it herself?" Robin asked.

"Yeah, and how do we know that _you'll_ destroy it, hm?" Cyborg asked, giving Rorek the evil eye.

"How do I know that _she_ will destroy it?" Rorek asked.

"Uh, maybe we should discuss this in the other room." Robin suggested.

"Robin." Raven said. Robin looked, and backed away. He wouldn't wish that look on Slade, much less _himself_.

"Okay, maybe not." He said, giving Raven a nervous grin. Rorek gave them both questioning looks, and then looked at the others, who stiffened and gave him cheesy smiles. If there was one thing they could have done to tell him they were hiding something without outright saying it...

"Now I have a question, why is it that all of you know of Malchior and I, and yet the book is in sole possession of Lady Raven?" He asked. They all looked at each other, as if asking the other for answers. "How, also, are you aware that Malchior is a dragon which was trapped inside that particular book. Even if you had read it, you would not have known." He said. "Unless your sorceress sensed the power in the book." He added.

"Um, actually," Robin started.

"Dude, shut up!" Beast Boy exclaimed, a little too obviously.

"It seems _you_ are not telling _me_ everything now." Rorek said, crossing his arms over his chest.

"It's okay Beast Boy, I got it." Robin said, giving Raven a reassuring glance. "We don't like to talk about it, but the truth is Malchior _did_ get free." He said.

"What?! How, I mean, how did you defeat him?!" Rorek exclaimed.

"_We_ didn't, it was Raven, actually." Robin answered.

"Uh, yeah, we don't like to talk about it because of, um, it's a pride issue." Cyborg inserted.

"Yeah, we got our butts handed to us. Not surprising, I guess, considering it was a DRAGON!" Beast Boy put in.

"How did you defeat him?!" Rorek exclaimed, looking at Raven now.

"I used a spell I learned from reading your book, the very same spell that sealed Malchior into it was written down. I believe _that's_ what the seer meant when she told you he could only be defeated if you preserved your power." Raven answered.

"Of course!" Rorek hit his hand with his fist, "I didn't have to preserve _myself_, because she never said I had to be the one to reseal him! All _I_ had to do was make sure my power and spells were recorded and preserved." He said. "And, it seems, I did enough by recording that particular spell it seemed. You truly are powerful if you were able to learn it merely by reading it." He told Raven.

"But that is so sad!" Starfire exclaimed, "You sealed yourself away for no reason at all, and now you have awakened into a strange and different world, there is no need for you! What shall you do?! Where shall you go!?" She exclaimed.

"Hey, it wasn't a complete waste, without him we wouldn't know that Malchior could be revived again! And without him we also wouldn't know that there's a way to completely destroy the book and the dragon along with it!" Beast Boy pointed out.

"You know, you _did_ kick some pretty good butt last night, really helped us out on the mission." Cyborg pointed out.

"Uh, you're not suggesting that..." Raven started, too late.

"Oh yes!!! You can become one of us and stay here!" Starfire exclaimed joyously. She took Rorek's hands, "We can all become good friends and you can help us in our fight against the wrong-doers!" She said.

"I would very much like to do just that, if there is no objection." He answered, though a little nervous with Starfire's outgoing personality.

"Well, I'm all for it!" Said Beast Boy.

"Uh, we have to take an official vote, and the vote has to be unanimous. But the vote can only be issued after we've known you for a while." Robin said.

"Yes, for now we shall take a vote on allowing him to stay with us for said period of time, correct?" Starfire asked.

"Uh, yeah, but, guys, we—uh..." Robin looked around, "Raven?"

* * *

A/N: Gee, I wonder where Raven went (_not_). Ahem, anyways, all you lovely peoples out there (Grins broadly and points to the review button).


	3. Meditation

A/N: Azerath, Metriom, Zynthos. Azerath, Metriom, Zynthos. Azerath, Metriom, Zynthos. Azerath, Metriom, Zynthos. Azerath, Metriom, Zynthos....okay I'll stop now.

* * *

_He doesn't bother me, he's not the same person, why should I care if he's on the team or not? That means less work for me, doesn't it? And besides, if everyone's occupied with him, I can have time to myself. It won't bother me, it is illogical that it would bother me. It was Malchior pretending to be him, not him at all. This isn't working, I must clear my mind, think logically. He is a wizard, a great wizard. Not only could I benefit from his knowledge, but he would be a great addition to the team as well. So why does it feel like my heart is being strangled when I look at him?!_

Raven opened her eyes to find that her black energy waves were surrounding her entire room, threatening to start working their destructive force if she did not calm herself. She forced her body and mind to relax, concentrating only on floating, cross-legged, in mid air. "Azrath, Metriom, Zynthos. Azrath, Metriom, Zynthos." She repeated, feeling her power leave the room and reenter her being where it was safely kept at bay. She cleared her mind, thinking of wide, open spaces, fields of grass, endless skies. Her mind was free from all earthly ties, it was free to touch the endless expanse. Nothing could touch her, nothing could keep her back, she was—

_Knock, knock, knock._

Of course, she should have expected it. After all, most of the tension in the air was because of her, of course her presence would be missed. She should have known.

"Raven?" It was Robin this time, she had expected Beast Boy or Starfire.

Raven opened the door so that only half her face was visible. "Yes?" She asked, as if this were a normal day and she was going through her normal meditation exercises.

"Um, you kind of left us and...well, I want to let you know, that if this bothers you, Beast Boy and I will vote against him joining with you." He told her.

"Beast Boy?"

"Yeah, we're here for you Rae!" The green teenager said, squeezing his head into view from behind Robin. "If Rorek makes you uncomfortable than he doesn't have to join! Besides, we already have the best magic-user in the universe. Right Robin?"

"Right! So should we tell the others it's a no go?" Robin asked her.

_If I am to truly set my mind free, I must confront that which causes my emotions to surface head on. Hiding will not free my mind._ Raven told herself. "No," She said after a moment of this meditation, "Count my vote as a go." She said.

"Are you sure?" Beast Boy asked.

"Logic says that we will only benefit from his presence, logic also says that if there is a problem, his membership is not permanent until we have all worked together for a few months." Raven said.

"Logic doesn't always have to right solution." Robin pointed out.

"No, but running away from one's problems is never the answer. Count me in." She said.

* * *

"No really, man, this movie rocks! You gotta see it!!!" Beast Boy exclaimed, as he and Cyborg proceeded to drag Rorek into the entertainment room.

"Run while you still can." Raven said while passing them in the hall.

"I think I will take your advice." Rorek said, suddenly changing directions and following her now. The two guys discovered (three moments later) that they were no longer holding onto anyone.

"Aw maaaaaan." They wined, sulking on down the hall in defeat.

_He's not following me, this is just the only other way to go, it is, after all, a hall. He is not following me._ Raven told herself as she headed for the living room. She walked over to the large window of the otherwise empty living room and settled herself, cross-legged, in the air before the view. She'd missed being able to meditate here, it had such a nice view, especially at night when the buildings were all alight and the lake sparkled with the reflection. But it wasn't so bad during the day either.

"Azrath, Metriom, Zynthos. Azrath, Metriom, Zynthos." She repeated. _My body is a barrier, the physical world is all that keeps me from the limitless expanse. But my mind is free, my mind is vast. I cannot be touched, I will not be limited. My mind is clear of all worldly thoughts...**why** is he still here?_ "Azrath, Metriom, Zynthos." _He is not here, nothing is here, there is no here, there is no there. Space is but an illusion, the body is a shell, a shell that I can be released from. I must purify my mind, clear it of all thoughts, all worldly feelings, of all emotions. **What** is he staring at?!_ "Excuse me, it's hard to concentrate when you're staring at me." She said, a note of irritation in her voice.

"Oh, forgive me, I was just wondering if I could join you?" He asked.

Raven sweatdropped. Well, if he was meditating instead of staring at her, she could concentrate much better. "Suite yourself." She said, turning back around to face the window again. She floated over to the side so that he had plenty of room. He settled himself in the air beside her, mimicking her position.

"Could you explain your method to me? I'm afraid I've never come across your form of meditation." He asked.

"Very well. First you must find your center, concentrate on it, obtain a connection with yourself. Your center is your inner self, the point where everything is emitted from, thoughts, feelings, emotions, reactions, everything. Then you must clear your mind, think of nothing and everything at the same time. Thoughts and memories that trouble you the most, or will get into your way, will come to you. You must take them apart, weed through them, and cleanse yourself of them. You must take control of yourself, be in complete command of all emotions, all thoughts, and then push them all away. Purify yourself of these worldly things, the body is a shell, and these things are barriers that will leave you forever trapped within this shell. Your goal is to become limitless and untouchable, but you can only do this through complete purification. Nothing in the outside world matters, nor should it hold your attention. Meaning you have to stop staring at me." She added, opening an eye at him.

"Oh! Right!" He said, turning his head towards the window and closing his eyes.

"Now, repeat after me." Raven said, closing her eyes again, "Azrath, Metriom, Zynthos. Azrath, Metriom, Zynthos." She said. He then said it after her. "Now say it with me and remember what I told you." She instructed. Their voices then became one, saying the same thing at the same time. Raven relaxed her body and her mind, and then began to cleanse herself.

"This is difficult to do while flying." He said.

"You don't have to do it while levitating, though I would suggest it as it will improve your focus. I never said you'd be able to accomplish all of that your first try after all." She told him.

"I see. I suppose I will merely concentrate on finding my center then." He said.

"A wise choice. Try again. Azrath, Metriom, Zynthos." She said, once again going through the process of cleansing herself. And then,

_Smack!_ Raven twitched and slowly grabbed the blob of smelly socks off her head.

"STANK BALL!!!" Cyborg yelled.

"Dude, you just hit Raven....see ya!" BB exclaimed, high tailing it away.

"Huh?" Cyborg looked over, and found Raven, eyes glowing white, holding the stinkball which was engulfed in her black fire. "Uh, now, now Raven, it's all fun and games. I mean, you love Stink Ball, dontcha?!" He asked nervously. Raven threw the blob. "AAAAAAAAHHHH!!!!" Cyborg yelled, running away from it. The ball followed him around the corners and would keep following him until it hit and left a nice bruise.

"Hn, hnhnhn."

"What _are_ you laughing at?" Raven asked, not at all amused.

"We're suppose to be controlling our emotions, aren't we?" He asked.

"And who says I wasn't in control?" She responded, taking her place in the air again, "They know better than to 'stink ball' me while I'm meditating." She told him.

"I see, shall we continue then?" He asked.

"Oh Raaaaaaveeeen!" Called a cheery voice. "There you are!"

"Actually, it seems you'll have to continue without me." Raven said, sweatdropping as Starfire grabbed her arm.

"Oh you will not believe it, Raven! I found a set of clothing that you would look absolutely gorgeous in! I took the measurements of the costume still in the laundry room and went shopping for something when I found it! Come on, you must try it on!" Starfire exclaimed, dragging Raven along behind her.

Raven's eyes widened in dread, "Oh no. Um, Starfire? Can't we talk about this?" Raven asked.

"We can talk about anything, Raven!" Starfire exclaimed, "Lets go to my room to talk!" Raven grimaced.

* * *

"Uh, Star? While this outfit might look good on you, it is not something that I could wear even if I wanted to." Raven said. Starfire had, somehow, gotten her into a soft pink, long sleeved, tankini top, cream-colored skorts, a pare of white boots that came to her knees, some gold and silver jewelry that went with the outfit, and had also put her hair up into a pink ribbon ponytail that let two locks of hair frame her face as bangs. All in all, she looked like a crow trying to wear peacock feathers. Likely, Starfire's image of her in it had her with a completely different skin-color and hair style.

Starfire sighed sadly, even _she_ could tell cheery colors did _not_ work with Raven's complexion. "Perhaps next time, then, I shall make sure to buy dark and dreary colors." Starfire said.

Raven frowned at her reflection in the full-length mirror. She didn't want to wear the outfit no matter what color it was in, but Starfire had only meant to do something nice for her, even if she was vastly overdoing this 'girl friends' thing a little. Raven inwardly sighed. She closed her eyes and put her hands together, murmuring a quiet spell.

When she opened her eyes the sight that greeted her was actually rather pleasing. She had turned all the pinks into black, the white into blue, and any gold colored jewelry turned silver instead. The only thing that needed manual alteration was the bow on the ribbon. Raven undid the bow and instead turned it into a regular knot.

"Oh Raven!" Starfire exclaimed with a gasp of delight. "That is wonderful! I am overjoyed that you have turned my misguided gift into something that looks so good on you! I am overjoyed!" She said. "We must show the others!"

"Uuuuum." Raven's eyes went wide. 'Show the others'? She'd rather die than let _any_ of the boys see her wearing this! Especially Ror—no, especially _any_ of them! "Starfire, I don't think—" She tried, no good.

"Oh but we _must_ show them! It looks so good on you. Come, I shall call them all to gather." She said, dragging Raven out the door.

"No, no no no no no." Raven grabbed onto the doorframe with her free hand and tried to stop Starfire from getting her into the living room.

* * *

"You beat me! How did you beat me! No one has ever beaten me! Are you _sure_ you've never played this game before?!" Cyborg was yelling. Raven made a desperate grab for the banister, and missed.

"I assure you I have not." Answered Rorek's voice. Raven caught the banister this time and held on for dear life._ Pleeeeeease don't let him see me like this!_ She mentally begged.

A door opened, "Oh good, you're all here. Where's Raven and Star?" Robin's voice asked.

"Dunno, I think they went out." Beast Boy answered.

"We are here, Robin!" Starfire called, emerging into view from the door that lead to the stairs.

"Uh, Star? What's up?" BB asked.

"May I present," Starfire let out a grunt, "Raven!" She exclaimed, meticulously pulling Raven out into the open.

All eight eyes went as wide as tennis balls. The stupor broken only a moment later by Beast Boy turning into a dog and going, "Ar, ar, arooooo!" and panting. Now it was Raven's turn to stair with wide eyes, and red cheeks.

"Whoa! _Nice_ new look, Rae!" Cyborg exclaimed, suddenly at Raven's side so he could see her up close.

"Uuuuh." Raven shifted uncomfortably. _Shoot me now._ She thought. She looked at Robin as if to say "help!", but even _he_ was too surprised to do so, and apparently interperated her glance as asking for his opinion.

"Uh, yeah. It looks, ah, very good on you." He then looked at Starfire, who was swelling in pride. "Uh, exactly _how_ did you get her to wear it?" He whispered.

Starfire was about to answer, when Rorek's voice cut the conversation like a knife, "Personally, I believe you're dress looked much lovelier on you, Lady Raven."

Everyone stopped to stare at him in amazement. "Uh, I mean, it's just that..." Rorek tried, instantly recognizing that he had said something wrong, but not a moment later everyone was back on Raven.

"You wore a dress?!" They all exclaimed at the same time, including Robin.

_Alright, this is going a little to far._ "He's talking about my nightgown." She told them, allowing her irritation to enter her voice as a warning. No good.

"Really?! How come we've never seen it?!" Beast Boy exclaimed.

"You must let us see you with it on! It must look so pretty on you!" Starfire said.

"Uh, guys?" Robin said, apparently being the only one to notice Raven's growing temper.

"Yeah, come on!" Cyborg put in.

"_Pleeeeeeeease_?" They all asked at the same time, giving Raven large grins.

That did it.

"NO!" She yelled, the force of her anger throwing them all backwards. Rorek had to dive down in order to avoid getting hit. "I AM NOT GOING TO PUT IT ON!!! WHAT AM I, SOME DOLL NOW?! I WILL _NOT_ WEAR MY NIGHTDRESS JUST SO YOU CAN SEE WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE AND I REFUSE TO WEAR _THIS_ AGAIN EITHER!!!" She yelled. The glass window and the TV screen both shattered, the furniture was turned over, and any loose, breakable objects fell off their original place and broke on the ground. When it all settled down, Raven was nowhere to be seen.

* * *

Raven bolted her door and went straight for her closet, changing as fast as she possibly could. She then put the entire outfit in a box and put it on a shelf in her closet among other boxes and such.

She had to calm down, she had to relax, she had to control her emotions, and that included her temper. How to calm down, how to calm down....

She turned on her stereo system and used her power to change out the CDs without touching them. She looked at the song choices she had on her two other Nightwish CDs and chose Wishmaster. The song The Kinslayer, looked good. She put the player on that number and started playing it on a slightly louder volume than what she usually had.

_For whom the gun tolls  
For whom the prey weeps  
Bow before a war  
Call it religion_

Raven pulled out her most recent magic book and started to read while she listened to the music playing in the background._  
  
Some wounds never heal  
Some tears never will  
Dry for the unkind  
Cry for mankind_

"Raven?" A voice came from her door, along with a knock. Raven turned her music up louder._  
  
Even the dead cry  
- Their only comfort  
Kill your friend, I don't care  
Orchid kids, blinded stare_

She closed her book and merely sat cross-legged on her bed. She couldn't read if her music was so loud, perhaps if she let herself get lost in the music instead._  
  
Need to understand  
No need to forgive  
No truth no sense left to be followed_

Why did they have to make such a big deal about it? The only reason she even put it on was for Starfire, had she known the hyper girl would want to show her off to the guys she would have _never_ agreed to it. And you'd think they'd know her well enough to _realize_ that she didn't _like_ being made a spectacle of. Starfire, on the other hand, would have a blast with it, she'd love to try on different outfits. But Raven wasn't Starfire, in fact they were almost complete opposites.

_"Facing this unbearable fear like meeting an old friend"  
"Time to die, poor mates, You made me what I am!"_

Raven took some deep breaths. And Rorek, who did he think he was!? Mentioning her nightdress like that when technically he wasn't even suppose to see it, _no one_ was. She didn't even want him to see her in _that_ outfit either—no, not just him, everyone. Okay...maybe he _was_ a special case, but only because he was new and she didn't know him that well._  
  
"In this world of a million religions everyone prays the same way"  
  
"Your praying is in vain It'll all be over soon"  
"Father help me, save me a place by your side!"  
"There is no god Our creed is but for ourselves"_

Maybe she overreacted, maybe she really did look that good in the outfit. But did they have to go on about it like that?! They _knew_ she didn't like it, they should have been able to tell she was _quite_ uncomfortable with it._  
  
"Not a hero unless you die Our species eat the wounded ones"  
  
"Drunk with the blood of your victims  
I do feel your pity-wanting pain,  
Lust for fame, a deadly game"_

She'd never been so embarrassed in all her life! Well, maybe she had, but that wasn't in front of...that didn't involve an exposed middle and short skirt-like outfit._  
  
"Run away with your impeccable kin!"  
  
"- Good wombs hath borne bad sons..."  
- Cursing, God, why?  
Falling for every lie  
Survivors' guilt  
In us forevermore_

What was _with_ this music? It wasn't helping her at all! In fact it was making her even more edgy. She shifted in her position a bit and tried to meditate, but how could she meditate like this? No, she had to...was someone calling her? She couldn't tell. The voice of the singer was echoing in her ears, off the walls, and into her mind._  
  
15 candles  
Redeemers of this world  
Dwell in hypocrisy:  
"How were we supposed to know"_

Raven tried to open her eyes, but she couldn't. _No_. She thought, on the verge of panic. She couldn't stop it, she had to turn off the music! But how?! Where was she? Were was the music? Where were the others? _Make it stop!_ She tried to scream, but nothing came from her mouth._  
  
4 pink ones  
9 blue ones  
2 black ones_

* * *

"I think we should be worried." Beast Boy said outside.

"Oh it is all my fault! If only I had not made Raven do something she was uncomfortable with!" Starfire exclaimed, close to tears.

"No, Star, its all our faults for making such a big deal about it." Robin said.

"Me especially, right?" Beast Boy asked in despair.

"No, I think that would be me. It might have been wiser if I had just kept silent." Rorek put in.

"We're all to blame because we all made her uncomfortable. Right now, however, the best thing to do would be to leave her alone." Robin said.

"I do not think that even that would be a wise decision." Rorek said, pushing Robin, who was the closest, away from Raven's door. He then pointed to the ground. Dark smoke was beginning to seep from beneath the door.

"Uh oh."

* * *

A/N: MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! CLIFHANGER!!!!! Ahem, anyways. I think the schedule is probably gonna be once every 1-3 days, depends on how well I can keep myself on this kick, which might be well indeed if I keep re-watching Spellbound


	4. Broken

A/N: Note: most of these spells that aren't in the TV show are words I just translated into Latin. Anyways, thankies for the reviews! You guys are great.

* * *

"I don't get it, Raven's usually able to keep pretty good control over her emotions!" Beast Boy exclaimed as they watched the smoke twist and dance in front of the door. Growing, but not spreading.

"Her emotions?" Rorek questioned.

"Raven's emotions, when she can't control them her power goes haywire." Robin said.

"Yeah, there was this one time when she got scared by a horror movie and the tower became a haunted house because of it with ghosts and weird creatures out the kazoo!" Beast Boy exclaimed, pulling on his hair in panic.

"No telling what that smoke might do." Robin said.

"What do we do?!" Starfire exclaimed.

_For whom the gun tolls  
For whom the prey weeps  
Bow before a war  
Call it religion  
  
Some wounds never heal  
Some tears never will  
Dry for the unkind  
Cry for mankind_

The song was repeating...wait...Rorek listened closely to the lyrics.

_Even the dead cry  
- Their only comfort  
Kill your friend, I don't care  
Orchid kids, blinded stare_

"The music!" Rorek cried.

"That's it!" Robin exclaimed, "She can't suppress her emotions because the music matches her mood." He said.

"Well then how do we turn it off?!" Beast Boy exclaimed, looking worriedly at the smoke on the door. "We don't know what's going to happen if we touch that stuff." He said.

"Contego Mihi De Malum." Rorek chanted. His body suddenly became aglow with a transparent light, then, without a word, he ran at the door, crashing it down with his shoulder. "Raven!" He called. His light dispersed the dark smoke surrounding the room, but only a little, he could hardly see anything at all. "Raven!" He yelled again, coughing hard. Well, first thing was first, he had to stop that music. But where was it coming from?

Blindly, he searched the room, coughing a few times, but trying to stop it. His shield wouldn't last that much longer, he had to find it quickly. _There_, it was a present-world music system. But how was he suppose to shut it off?! There was no time to figure it out. He smashed it, cutting the music off abruptly. "Raven?!" He yelled.

The pressing darkness faded slightly, he could see Raven sprawled over her bed, half of her hanging over the side. He ran over to her and gathered her up in his arms.

Abruptly his shield was shut off, he stopped himself from breathing in the smoke and nearly cried out as it began to pierce his skin in all different places, causing him to bleed. His eyes watered, or did they bleed? As he tried to reach the exit quickly. But it seemed so far away, and he could hardly walk with Raven's limp form weighing him down, or was that the smoke zapping his strength? He certainly didn't believe she could really be this heavy.

Rorek gasped when he finally reached pure air, he staggered for a moment before the Titans, and then fell over on his side, trying to keep himself from landing on top of Raven, though he had very little choice in the matter.

* * *

Raven positioned her hands over Rorek's chest and began the healing process. They had migrated down to the living room, even though the smoke had dispersed, and Raven had been the one to set Rorek on the couch so she could better heal him.

"You gave us quite the scare," Rorek flinched, "Lady Raven." He finished, in an attempt to lighten the mood a bit.

"Sorry." Raven said, looking away from him while she continued.

"No, _we're_ sorry, right guys?" Robin said.

"Yeah, we're _really_ sorry." Beast Boy agreed.

"Yes, we are very sorry Raven, me especially. You should never be made to do something that makes you feel uncomfortable. If ever again I try to make you do something you do not wish to do, you must stop me at all costs!" Starfire exclaimed.

"Hm, I'll be sure to do that." Raven said with a small smile. She then extended her hand and helped the fully healed (if exhausted) Rorek up. "Thanks," She said, averting her eyes, "for saving me."

"Of course. After all, I owed you, after going into your room. Hnhn." He chuckled slightly.

"I propose that we all go out for pizza!" Starfire declared.

"Actually, Star, we can't." Robin said, before Beast Boy could even shout his agreement.

"What? Why not?!" BB exclaimed. Robin then handed him a slip of unfolded paper. Beast Boy studied it for only a moment before his face portrayed an expression of shock.

"What's that?" Cyborg asked, taking it from his hand, but before he could read it out loud he too was frozen with a look of disbelief on his face.

Raven made the paper float over to her and she read it. "It seems our electric bill is quite a bit higher than it usually is. I, however, am not surprised." She said.

"Yet another crime we're all guilty of." Robin said, "Save for Rorek, he just got here."

"What is an 'electric bill'?" Rorek asked.

"Electricity, it's what makes things move or light up without magic. It's the energy that keeps these lights on." Raven answered, pointing to one of the currently dim light bulbs. "It isn't free, even we have to pay for it. The bill tells us how much money we need to give them. And usually it isn't so much." She told him.

"Right, our current funding can't, or rather _won't_, cover that much. Especially since a lot of it was spent playing video games and watching movies." Robin said. Cyborg and Beast Boy both grinned innocently.

"Being fair, though, Raven hardly even turns on the lights in her room, and only recently has she even been using her stereo system." Beast Boy said.

"I also use little outside power for training purposes, but that doesn't exempt me from the responsibility." Raven replied.

"So what are we going to do about this problem?" Starfire asked.

"The only thing we can do," Robin's shoulders slumped, "Get jobs."

"Waaaaaaat?! Are you serious?!" BB exclaimed, his face consorting with disbelief.

"I don't like it any more than you do. I figure if we all get the same job, at least we'll be together." Robin said. Raven's face fell, she was thinking of applying for a job at Alabaster's. There was no way none of the others could get a job there even if they wanted to. Well, maybe Rorek, but that was only because he...never mind.

"Yeah, misery loves company." Cyborg sighed.

"Actually, it would make more sense if we got jobs in places where our individual abilities would be useful." Raven said. "For example, Cyborg would be better suited to a lot of heavy lifting, so construction would suit him best. Robin is agile and the most coordinate, but you're also a people person and that gives you a good variety to work with. Beast Boy...fast food. And Starfire might be able to get a good job in demolition. No offense." She told them.

"Fast food?!" Beast Boy exclaimed.

"Hm, construction work, that might not be so bad." Cyborg mused.

"How would I be a valuable component for demolition?" Starfire asked.

"How fast could you destroy this tower at full power, Starfire?" Raven asked.

"Um, maybe in about 10 minutes if I went from the bottom up. Why?" Starfire asked.

"There's your answer." Raven said.

"She means that you could do the demolition yourself." Robin told her.

"Oh! I understand!" Starfire exclaimed.

"What about you, Rae?" Asked BB, still irritated that she only thought him good enough for fast food, heheh.

"Book store worker." She answered almost instantly.

"And what about me?" Rorek asked.

"Like I said before, you're not the cause of it, so you don't have to work. It's our responsibility so you can just hang out in the tower." Robin answered.

"Besides, it would be a good idea if you knew more about this present world before trying to get any sort of job." Raven said. _Actually it'd be a good idea for Starfire to become a bit more familiar too..._She thought.

"Right, okay Titans, let's go, get a newspaper." Robin said.

* * *

"Alright, the way we should do this is try and make it so that our work schedules are as consecutive as possible. Meaning one of us goes out to work, then when they come back the next one works. That way there will still be enough of us to handle an emergency and those of us at work won't have to abandon our job, consequentially getting fired in the process." Robin said.

"I'll work late, from 7:00 pm to 11:00 pm." Raven said, writing them down on her resume for Alabaster's.

"I think I'll work during lunch, since all I'm good for is _fast food_!" Beast Boy said, giving Raven a pointed look.

"Beast Boy, on a scale of 1 to 10, how creepy/dark/scary would you say I am?" Raven questioned.

"11, why?" BB answered, looking over, he suddenly saw the resume, "WHAT!? You've already got a place picked out—oh that is _not_ fair man!!! That is _not_ fair!!!" He exclaimed, tearing at his hair.

"Glory to you, Raven! Where are you going to work?" Starfire asked.

"Alabaster's." Raven answered.

"Where's that? Oh wait, that's the name of the place Star showed you, isn't it?" Robin asked.

"Yes, and the resume is asking me some...interesting questions." She said.

"Like what?" Cyborg asked, looking up from his own set of want adds.

"What my hair color is, how good I look in dark clothing, my skin tone, how creepy my friends say I am on a scale of 1 to10, how well I am able to spook people." Raven answered.

The others just kind of stared at her.

"_Okay_, sounds like your kind of place, Rae." Cyborg said, going back to his paper.

"Why does it want to know how much poetry you read in a day?" Rorek asked, looking over her shoulder.

Raven leaned over so that his face wasn't right next to hers, "You are invading my personal space please move. And I don't know." She said.

"Oh, forgive me." He said scooting away.

"Thank you." Raven said, sitting upright again.

* * *

"You are not fulfilling your job requirements to our satisfaction. I do not want you to be sitting there, doing your makeup, when customers come up to the counter! Yes your deep voice is a nice touch, but mixing up the spell books with the poetry books is not what we would consider adequate expertise. We want someone who will scare the wanted customers into coming back again, and the unwanted customers to stay away. I want Grim Reaper, I want Lady Death, I want—"

"Excuse me," Raven interrupted, she had walked into who she suspected was the store manager giving the teller she had seen just the other day a hard time some sort of lecture, and she was hoping to go in and out before she had to listen to more.

"You!" The manager suddenly exclaimed.

Raven floated back a bit, "Um, I'm here to turn in my resume, but there was no one at the front desk." She said, pulling down her hood and pushing her cloak behind her shoulders. She then took the paper from her belt and held it out to him.

"You're perfect! You're hired!" he said.

"Say what?" She raised an eyebrow at him. "On a normal basis I would be waiting for you to call me and schedule an interview." She said.

"Hey, I know you, you're Raven, of the Teen Titans, right?" Asked the deep voice of the lectured employee. "I met you here just the other day, didn't I?" She asked.

Raven sweatdropped, "Um, yeah." She said.

"You want a job _here_?" The manager questioned, looking almost shocked.

"We're a little tight on our funds, we're all getting jobs." Raven answered.

The manager skimmed her resume for a moment, then looked at her. "You're hired, when can you start?" he asked.

"At 7:00 pm." She answered.

He looked down at her resume again, "You can't work any more?" He asked.

"In case of an emergency we all have to work at different intervals. The whole super-hero thing can require a lot of effort sometimes." She told him. "That being said, I hope you'll understand that there may be times when I'm late or am unable to come in at all. In which case I will make up my hours the next day or later that night." She said.

"Right," He said with a frown, "Looks like you still have a job, Elsa." He told the other worker.

"Sweet." She smirked.

"But I want you to at least act like you're engaging yourself in something dark, like reading poetry or meditating." He told her.

"You _want_ us to be reading while we're working?" Raven asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Depends on _what_ you're reading and during _what_ job. When there's no one at the front counter to buy something, I want you to do something more productive than twiddle your thumbs or reapply makeup. Now, Miss Raven, if you would, go with Elsa and pick out your work uniform. We'll have your nametag ready by the end of the week." He told her. "By the way, my name is Aron, just Aron."

Elsa then lead Raven into a closet full of black clothes, different _types_ of black clothes. One her left was men's clothing, and on her right were women's. But the thing was, they looked more like clothes Goths would wear on a regular basis. Unsurprisingly, there were a lot more choices for the girls than the boys.

"Let's see, ah, here, take this." Elsa said, throwing something at Raven. She caught it and looked at the shawl. Or rather, it was a jacket-like shawl of transparent material and a spider web design on it.

"Um, what are we—" She tried, but suddenly had a black thing thrown into her arms as well. Upon further inspection she discovered it was a corset. Raven sweatdropped, _oh of all the ridiculous..._but just then a pare of hip-hugger black jeans were flung at her. Then Elsa went for the jewelry hanging up on the wall. She looked at Raven, the picked out a few chains, a spiked belt, and two spiked bracelets. "Do I really have to wear this for work?" Raven asked with a frown.

"Not unless they look as wicked on you as I think they will. Go ahead and try it on, I'll guard the door while you change." Elsa said, leaving her.

Raven glared at her reflection in the full-length mirror. _What is it with people and altering my wardrobe? What if I _liked_ my outfit?_ She asked herself. But she sighed in defeat and began to change.

Again, Raven found reason to glare at her reflection. The jeans, she could deal with, the shawl, she might actually like, the spikes, not her style but not that bad, but the corset had to go. No ifs ands or buts. If she was going to be working where people could see her, there was no way she was wearing it. She took it off and put it up on an empty space. She tried a few other shirts, but most of them didn't fit her well enough or didn't go with the rest of her outfit. Finally she found something that would work. It was a little tight, but she liked it well enough (better than most of the other stuff). It was a halter top, but it didn't expose her middle at all, and it also went well with the shawl because of the white spider on the chest. However it did _not_ work well with the spikes (thank the gods), so she took them off. The chains also had to go, but now she looked too plane, so she put on some thumb-gloves that covered her arm up to her elbow. Finally she was satisfied.

Too bad Elsa wasn't.

In the end, Raven was talked into the corset, but was able to get a violet, long sleeved shirt to go under it, keeping her shoulders from being all but exposed under the spider-web shawl. _That_ she could contend with.

"Remind me why I can't just wear my original outfit?" Raven asked Aron.

"Do you want everyone to know you're a Teen Titan at first glance?" He asked her.

Raven sighed, "No." She said with a dreary look on her face.

"Great, keep that look on your face." He said, looking at her as if she were some sort of portrait.

"That's it, I can't do this." She said, walking back into the closet so she could change back.

"Wait, wait, wait, why not?! You're perfect! You're exactly what I'm wanting in an employee!" Aron exclaimed.

"Which is the problem, you're treating me like I'm just suppose to look and act the part in your little picture. I came here for a job, so I could _earn_ some money, not so I could stand there and draw in desirable customers." She told him.

"Alright, alright, I'll stop. Just don't quite already." He said nervously.

Raven's face fell, "You're that desperate?" She asked.

"Please take the job." He said, looking hopeful.

"Alright, alright. But," Raven said, taking off the spider shawl, "Only if I can wear my black cloak instead of this." She said.

"Absolutely! Please sign this form here and I'll see you tonight?" he asked.

"Yes you will." She answered, taking the clipboard and pen.

* * *

"Hey Rae." BB greeted as Raven walked across the living room, her 'uniform' bundled into a box under her arm.

"What's that?" Robin asked, pointing to the box.

"My work uniform." Raven answered.

"WHAT?!" Beast Boy suddenly yelled, everyone looked up from their resumes.

"Weren't you just going in ta drop off your resume?!" Cyborg exclaimed.

"Yes, but they weren't all that busy so they decided to go ahead with the interview." She lied. "They apparently thought I was creepy/dark/scary enough to start work right away. I'll be going in at 7." She told them. Her voice being, as usual, unenthusiastic and slightly monotone.

"I am overjoyed for you Raven! You have gotten a job at the place of your choice, I hope that you will have lots of fun and meet lots of new people!" Starfire said.

"Congratulations." Robin nodded.

"How's it going for you guys?" Raven asked, walking over to the table so she could look at their resumes.

"Not so good." Beast Boy said, frowning at his papers. "What happens when we don't want to divulge the information of our last names? I mean, isn't 'Beast Boy' enough that you'd know who I am?" he asked.

"Put you're first name as Beast and your last name as Boy." Cyborg told him. "My first name is Cy and my last is Borg."

"So my first name would be Star, and my last name would be Fire! And Robin's first name would be Rob, and his last name In. And Raven's first name would be Ra, and her last Ven." Starfire said.

"Right, actually I didn't bother with the last name." Raven said. "My employer was too shocked a 'Titan' was applying for a job to be very picky." She told them.

"Hey cool! Maybe all we have to do is show up and ask, and we'll get one as fast as Raven!" Beast Boy exclaimed.

"I would suggest doing the resume anyway, that way they know when you're available to work." Raven said, walking back to the door to the stairs.

"Aw maaaan." BB wined.

"Oh, by the way Raven," Robin began just as Raven was about to leave.

"Yes?"

Robin looked like he was thinking about something, "Uh...never mind." He said, shaking his head.

"Alright." Raven then continued to her room.

* * *

Robin watched her leave and then stood up. "What is it, Robin?" Starfire asked.

"Rorek wanted me to let him know when Raven got back, I was debating on whether or not to tell Raven this." He answered, looking a little grim.

"What are you thinking? Should we watch him a little more closely?" Cyborg asked.

"I really don't know, but for Raven's sake, I'm not sure we should give those two too many chances to be alone together." He said.

"Perhaps Rorek is only interested in discussing magic and meditation techniques." Starfire suggested. "Also, from what I have observed, these magazines say that Raven and Rorek are very compactable." She said.

"That's compatible." Robin corrected.

"Oh, I was wondering why that was suppose to be a good thing." Starfire said.

"It _isn't_ a good thing, is it?" Beast Boy asked.

"Maybe, maybe not, it all depends." Robin said. He stretched his arms and then headed for the stairs himself.

"You're still gonna tell him?" Beast Boy asked.

"I said I would didn't I?"

* * *

"Hey Rorek?" Robin called, knocking on the door to his new room. Soon the door was open.

"Yes?" Rorek asked, opening the door up wide enough that Robin could see inside the room.

"Uh, you wanted me to tell you when Raven got back, right?" He asked.

"Oh, yes. Thank you." Rorek answered, coming out from his room. "Is, something troubling you, Sir Robin?" he asked.

"Uh, just Robin's fine." He answered, "And yeah, there is something troubling me. Why did you want me to tell you when Raven got back?" He asked.

"I was going to ask her if she would like to meditate with me again, we were interrupted rather abruptly, and I need help mastering her form of meditation." The wizard answered, "But if she doesn't want to be disturbed," He began.

"I don't know if she's in the mood to be disturbed or not at the present moment. What _I_ want to know is why you seem to be so interested in _her_?"

"To be truthful, I want to be sure that I can trust her, and I see now that there is little doubt I can, but I also want her to trust me. We seemed to have gotten off on the wrong foot, I _did_ invade her privacy in a manner that was rather unorthodox. And I believe I owe her an apology for misjudging her at first. Also, she is a very powerful sorceress, and I can learn a lot from her. I feel she understands the dark side of things as well as, if not better than, I do." He explained.

This explanation seemed a little too well thought out for Robin, did he plan what he was going to say if the question was asked? Perhaps he did. Robin raised an eyebrow at him, "Right, and are you absolutely certain you have no ulterior motives?" He asked.

"What do you mean?" Rorek asked, blinking so that he looked genuinely confused. Robin wasn't gonna buy it though.

"Raven's my friend, I care about her as much as I do a friend, which is a lot. She's been hurt before, and if it happens again you can be sure that I will _personally_ find the one responsible and make sure he _suffers_ for it, no matter how much power or how many skills he or she may possess." Robin told him.

"I see." Rorek nodded, "You are a good and noble friend, Robin, I am honored to have the chance to meet you. I solemnly swear, upon my honor, that I will do no harm to the Lady Raven, physical or otherwise." He said.

"But what I want to know is how much your honor is worth." Robin returned.

"I have two months, correct? If you are not satisfied, or if I have done anything to prove myself untrustworthy, well, my membership is not permanent yet. And you _do_ need a unanimous vote." Rorek pointed out.

"Fair enough, but I _will_ be watching you."

"I would expect nothing less of you, Robin."

* * *

A/N: Yeah, Robin, all he wants to do is meditate with her. He has no other interests at all. And you know what else? I'm a monkey! 


	5. The Binder

A/N: In case a few of you are a little confused about my gender, I am not a 'man', I am a 'woman', as in a 'girl', as in a 'female' as in the opposite of 'man'. I am the superior gender of the drow culture. The inferior gender in most old human cultures. I am described as the 'ball and chains' in a marriage relationship. I am one whose wrath is worse than the fires of hell. I am woman, hear me roar. RAAAA(Cough, cough, cough) just a minute (hack, wheeze, pant) I think I hurt something...

Lol .

* * *

"**Why do you hide, Raven?" A voice asked.**

"**What are you talking about?" Raven returned.**

"**Why do you wear a cloak that hides half your face? Are you afraid?"**

"**Afraid? Afraid of what?" Raven demanded.**

"**Of me." Rorek's form took shape in the darkness.**

"**No, I'm not, why would I be afraid of you?" Raven asked, but she backed away. Rorek raised a hand towards her, attempting to touch her, but she sank away from it. Her lips formed a firm line and she gave him a warning look.**

"**Why are you afraid of me?" He asked, his eyes sad.**

"**I am not afraid, I just don't like being so close to other people." She snapped.**

"**You didn't mind it when the others were as close, why not me?" He asked her.**

"**I don't know you that well, it took a long time for the others go get this close to me." She told him.**

"**But no one has been this close, have they?" He asked. Suddenly he was right in front of her, her face in his hands, their noses inches apart. She was staring up at his crystal blue eyes, his long white bangs brushing against her forehead.**

**"Get away from me!" Raven yelled, jerking her face out of his hands. But then he wrapped his arms around her form, trapping her in his iron-like embrace. "What are you doing?! Let me go! Let me go!" She ordered, struggling against him with all her might, but she couldn't break free. Soft, warm lips silenced her by pressing against her own. Raven froze, her body became rigid, no matter what she did she couldn't move.**

Raven gasped, sitting straight up in her bead, panting, her brow beaded with sweat. What was _that_ about?! Had she not meditated properly the other day?...

She'd meditated with Rorek...

Raven got up and began to pace her room, trying to find something to get her mind of the dream. _Anything_ that would get her mind off her dream. Finally she settled herself on her bead in a meditative position and floated only a foot above it. "Azrath, Metriom, Zynthos. Azrath, Metriom, Zynthos." She chanted. She went through the steps one at a time, as if she were a beginner. First she relaxed her body, relaxed her head, and in turn was able to relax her mind. She then focused on her center and thought of open fields, endless skies, the limitless outer expanse. The dream came back into her mind like a comet, but now she could figure it out.

Afraid? Was she afraid of Rorek? She searched into herself, she would not fool herself, even if the truth was unfavorable, she had to be in complete control of her emotions, she had to know herself through and through. Was she truly afraid of Rorek?

Yes, but it was a different kind of fear. She wasn't afraid that he might turn on the Titans and kill them all. While that might be a possibility, she wasn't really paranoid enough to suspect it just yet. So why was she afraid of him? And how was she afraid of him? That dream was trying to tell her something, and she had to find out what it was. It was a warning of some kind it seemed, the kiss wasn't at all pleasant after all.

_Why am I afraid of him? Why am I afraid to touch him, to get near him, to even get close to him?_ Raven took in a deep breath and decided to recount the events of the previous day.

After coming back from the 'interview', Raven went to her room to put the 'uniform' up. She then unearthed the CD player Beast Boy had given her to use since her stereo had been destroyed, and started listening to Once again while reading more of her most recent spell book.

The first chapter was all about the element of Lightning, or so it appeared. She had not finished the first page when there was a knock on her door. She set the book aside and went over to see who it was. She'd expected Beast Boy, Starfire, or even Robin, the last person she expected to see was Rorek, or was it?

"Yes?"

"I was wondering if you would like to continue our meditation session, we were interrupted rather abruptly last time." He answered.

"Very well, but not for too long, I'd like to get some more reading done before going to work." She answered, coming out of her room. "We can go to the roof." She told him.

So they did, Raven found it quite soothing way up there where all sound seemed muffled. But Rorek was having a hard time focusing when he had to levitate and contend with the wind as well. Perhaps levitation wasn't a natural thing for him as it was Raven, maybe he had to actively use magic in order to fly. If that was the case it would explain why he was having trouble.

Afterwards, Raven went back to her room, and had read only three more pages before Beast Boy had asked her to Referee their next game of Stink Ball. Which, consequentially, the two had drug Rorek into playing as well.

Thankfully the hours went swiftly by and it was time for her to get ready for work. She put on the black jeans, the violet, long-sleeved shirt, the (grimace) corset, the boots Starfire had gotten her that she had turned black, and finally her black cloak.

"I'm going to work." Raven said, floating into the living room with her cloak completely covering her clothes, and the hood over her face.

"Geez Louise Raven! Did you get a job as the Grim Reaper?!" BB exclaimed when he saw her.

"Technically no, but basically yes." She answered.

Work itself was...interesting. Eventually she got the feel for what Aron was expecting, though she felt she already knew, and found that she didn't have to go through any motions. She was manning the counter mostly, while Elsa was stocking the bookshelves, candles, and other assorted items. She read some poetry from the book she had bought (summoning it from her room at the Tower), and preformed a type of meditation that left her aware of everything around her instead of focusing completely on her center. She caught three shop-lifters (scaring them half to death while doing so), saved a breakable item from falling, and, after getting caught levitating by Aron, was promised a large paycheck if she kept up the whole thing. _He is much too concerned with appearances._ She thought.

Afterwards it was rather late. Even Beast Boy and Cyborg were in bed, the only one in the living room when she came home, was Rorek. "Are you still up?" She asked.

"Oh, you're back. Yes I am. Truth be told I'm more of a night person." He said.

"Me too, unfortunately most of the villains we deal with have day schedules and a strict bed time." Raven told him. Rorek chuckled.

"I see, well in that case I suppose I should also try and make my waking hours during the day as well." He said.

Raven yawned, "I'll see you tomorrow then. I'm going to bed." She said, walking to the door that lead to the stairway.

"Raven," Rorek got up and was walking towards her.

"Yes?" Raven questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"Might I ask a question?"

"Go ahead." She answered.

"Why do you avoid me?"

"What?"

"Was it because I went into your room? Perhaps because I saw you in that dress? If it's because of what I did to your room in the first place, please, give me the chance to make up for that. It was merely a misunderstanding and I apologize—"

"What _are_ you talking about?" Raven cut him off. "I'm not avoiding you, I'm always like this. Don't think you're a special case." She told him.

"That is not what I mean. Lady Raven, why can't you look me in the eyes? Don't try to tell me you always do that, I've seen how you work with the strangers you save regularly, you look them in the eyes, wholly and confidently. Why is it that I have yet to see the beauty of your eyes directly?" He asked.

It was the first time she looked at him, the first time she had actually _looked_ at him since she caught him in her room. She looked him directly in the eye, she saw the beautiful, crystal blue of his eyes, his long lashes, his long white hair. But it was the eyes, the eyes that she saw the most, the eyes she knew so well. Her face became a mask, on the outside she was staring at him, coolly, daring him to challenge her. But on the inside her heart was beating, thumping in her ears, her emotions were getting out of control. She forced her facial features to give him a trying glare, and then she turned around.

"Raven," Rorek tried to grab her arm, but ended up getting a handful of her cloak, considering her form was hidden beneath it. It was enough though.

"What?!" Raven demanded, her voice just barely escaped cracking.

"Please, I want to be close to you, I want to be as close as the other Titans, maybe even more. We are so much alike, though we operate on different planes of magic, I think we can truly learn a lot from each other. I have not met a mage as powerful as you in some time, not including the time I spent inside that jewel. But it seems that every time I try to reach out to you, you have been withdrawing from me. Please, tell me what I have to do in order for you to trust me, how can I become your friend?" He asked.

Raven snatched her cloak back, glaring at him in anger. "It takes a long, _long_ time for _anyone_ to get close to me. It is a very gradual thing, so stop trying to push yourself into my circle or I will shove you right back out faster than you can blink." She told him. She didn't care if she promised not to use any more of Malchior's magics, she didn't care that he might recognize it, right now she wanted to be away from him, _far_ from him. So she teleported back into her room, changed swiftly into her nightdress, and went on to bed.

Raven opened her eyes and felt as though her mind was beginning to fully relax. So, she knew why she had had that dream, she knew how and why she was 'afraid' of Rorek, and she was now in complete control of her emotions. The only question, now, was, how was she going to face this? How was she going to fix it? Voting Rorek off the team would allow her a comfortable absence of his presence, but he wouldn't be gone completely. He would haunt her, she knew it, whether it was in her dreams or on the streets, she would not be able to escape him. She had to sort through all of this, she had to make herself see that it was _not_ Rorek who betrayed her, it was Malchior, pretending to be Rorek in order to play with her emotions.

But why had Malchior chosen to portray Rorek? Why not change the story up a bit, maybe even change the way 'Rorek' looked in the book? It would have been a simple matter, really. He altered the names, he could surely alter the pictures as well. After all, how else did that picture of _her_ get into the book? Perhaps there was no reason, perhaps he just wanted to portray Rorek if just to mock him all the more.

She was afraid of Rorek, she was afraid that he would find out what really conspired, she was afraid to let him get close, she was afraid she might fall in love with him, and she was most afraid that he would break her heart, just as Malchior had. But how was she going to get over this? How was she going to forget about Malchior and learn to treat Rorek as his own person?

It was impossible, Rorek acted too much like the wizard Malchior had pretended to be, and Raven associated Rorek far too much with Malchior. Those eyes, those crystal blue eyes, the ones she knew so well from her time with Malchior, the time when she had truly reached limitlessness, when she had been cleansed of her father's influence. She was afraid he would see her recognition, afraid he would realize who she really saw when she looked at him. And if he ever did...what would he do? How would he see her?

Suddenly, Raven discovered something. She was actually worried about what Rorek thought of her, she didn't want him to get too close because she was afraid of what he would see, she was afraid to show him anything, least he see her as less than the powerful sorceress he, perhaps, admired. _She, cared, about, his, opinion_. Why? No, she knew why, she was still infatuated with those eyes, with that voice. The way he spoke, the way he held himself, what his thoughts were, he was too similar to the one Malchior had pretended to be, the one she had loved so much.

But it was another person, he was another person, yet how could she make herself believe that? How could she learn to look at him the way she would had she never even opened that white, black-cased book?

She couldn't, but she had to, she had to release herself from his iron grip if she was ever going to learn to move on with her life.

* * *

"Hey, Raven?" Called a familiar voice from behind the door. "Um, it's 3:00 and you haven't come out of your room yet, I was wondering...did something happen between you and Rorek? He's been acting really weird, I mean, yeah he's kinda weird to begin with, but it's just that...well, are you alright? Because if you're not, we're here for you. We care about you, and we want to know when something's really bothering you." He said.

Raven opened the door so that only half her face was visible, "Nothing's wrong, I just need some time to myself to sort out a few things, I'll be fine, so you don't have to worry." She told BB.

"Okay." Beat Boy said with a nod. Raven then closed her door and went back to her books.

In spite of what she had promised herself, Raven opened up her secret room and began going through all the books that Malchior had magicked into her room. She had already read through most of them, but there _were_ a few piles that she had not even touched. Still, it never hurt to review the basics. Perhaps going through them more slowly, not only would she gain more out of them, but she might find out more about Malchior, and in doing so, maybe she would learn to realize that he was not the same man she had fallen for, and neither was Rorek.

So far she had been skimming through the basics, the books she'd already read, and was now going through one of the more advanced ones, reading it so that she retained every word. For many of these books Malchior had melded their knowledge into her mind, she didn't know them by their words, just by their information and their magic.

The review refreshed her store of Malchior's magic, the magic she swore she wouldn't use, but it did little else. She couldn't find the answers she wanted, or rather, she couldn't find more out about Malchior through merely the spell books. She tried looking through some history books she had, but they gave here absolutely nothing. Which wasn't all that surprising.

But then Raven's eyes wandered over to the chest she had drug out along with the books. She had emptied out the entire room with her mind, so now her main room was littered, not only with books, but with other things, other things that she wish she could get rid of, but wasn't going to chance that they might find themselves in the wrong hands. Malchior's book, however, was the only item that held so much emotional pain for her. Could he see her now? Was he laughing at her? Or was he fuming that she had been able to reseal him? Raven turned her eyes from the chest and focused them on the book in her hands.

"Raven?"

Her eyes shot over to the chest, and then to her door, where Rorek stood surveying her books, the items, and the chest. She had a dark sword against the wall, a staff there as well. There was an orb on her desk that held three black-flaming butterflies, next to it a box that held tainted rosary beads, and then there were two chests. One that was called the Chest of Horrors as well as Pandora's Box, and the other which held Malchior's book. And then there where the books, some of them she had set onto her desk because they were not of the same books Malchior had put in her room, and then there were the ones that currently filled her room, making it almost impossible to walk around in.

"What's all this?" Rorek asked, "I didn't find—"

"And just _what_ are you doing in my room?" Raven hissed, feeling angrier by the moment. How _dare_ he come in here without her permission!

"I felt a disturbance, I was afraid you might...be in trouble...again." He said, now looking rather nervous and backing away, back out the door.

Raven glared at him, but inside her heart was beating fast. What if he recognized the books? "What you're feeling is probably that, and it's perfectly harmless so long as the butterflies are not released." She said, pointing to the orb. "Now if you will excuse me, I have some more research to do." She said, using her power to make the door slam closed in his face.

"No, Raven you don't understand! There's something really dangerous in there, I can sense it!" He called, hammering her door with his fist.

"I am fully aware that I have many dangerous things in my possession but rest assured I am in complete control over all of them!" She called right back, _wishing_ he would just leave her alone.

"Would you at least tell me what you're trying to research?" Rorek called.

Raven slamed her book shut and teleported so she was at her door. She opened it just enough so that half her face was visible, "If you must know," She began, her anger radiating from her in waves of darkness, "I am trying to find a way to destroy Malchior's book." She told him. It was a lie, she knew, but she wasn't about to tell him the real reason she had pulled out all these books.

"Let me help y—"

"No! Just leave me alone!!!" She snapped, slamming her door, once again, in his face. She then looked around her room, the dark mist was coming back again, she was loosing control of her emotions, once again, and all because of _him_.

It was all her fault, if she had never opened that book, _none_ of this would be happening to her. But how was she suppose to know? For all it seemed, the book was ordinary, she couldn't tell there was anything magical about it on the outside.

Raven sat herself in the air and began to meditate, clearing her mind and emptying herself of all worldly things. Nothing really mattered, it was all merely physical, and the physical can never last. It was all an illusion. She calmed herself, thinking of open plains, of empty spaces, emptying her mind, and cleansing herself of the thoughts that plagued her. She had to suppress her anger, control it. She had to realize what was causing her emotions, and keep it, keep _him_, from getting to her.

The next time Raven opened her eyes the mist was gone, but it had left something behind. The chest that had previously held Malchior's book looked like the top had been blown off, and the book itself was laying open on the bed before her, and a pair of taunting red eyes stared at her.

* * *

A/N: CLIFHANGER!!! MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! Bask in my evilness puny mortals!

To all of you who asked, yes I am a monkey, yes it may sound impossible, but I am really a monkey. I live at a house with a family who thinks I'm their biological child and have decided to spend my time writing stories and poetry that I in no way could ever even dream to write because I am a stupid primate. NEWS FLASH! I was being facetious people! You know, as in _sarcastic_?! I'M NOT A MONKEY I'M A DRAGON! Dra-gon, D-R-A-G-O-N, dragon! I could not be writing all of this if I was some stupid _monkey_! Why do you think I chose the name 'Hiryuu'?! Does no one use a translator nowadays? They think they know _everything_? It means 'Flying Dragon' in Japanese people! Which is why I find Malchior (in dragon form of course) so incredibly HOT...oh wait...you weren't suppose to know that.....

J/K! lol, I had you guys going didn't I?


	6. Malchior

A/N: Alright yous peoples, I didn't get all that many reviews on the last chapter, but because I'm a nice person, I'm gonna go ahead and post this one up anyways. But you better watch it, next time I might be mean and might wait before releasing the next until I have _two_ more chapters written down. Yes I am evil, and I am proud of it too. :D

* * *

He continued to take on the appearance of Rorek, even when she knew better than to trust him. But this time it seemed different. The picture was colored, and he looked like Rorek, what she could see of that half of his face, only his eyes were red, blood red, his hair was black, and his skin was deathly white. Those eyes stared at her, amused.

On instinct, Raven slammed the book shut and threw it across the room so that it hit a pile of books, causing a large crashing noise to echo about her room. She sat there, on her bead, her heart beating, her lungs panting, until there was a knock on the door.

"Raven, I heard a crash." It was Robin.

"Some of my books tipped over and fell." She answered in a clear, calm voice.

"Oh, alright. Just making sure you're okay." He said. She then listened while his footsteps fell away. She then turned to the pile of scattered books, the white book that held Malchior seemed to glow in contrast with all the others.

* * *

"Robin," A voice hailed.

Robin turned around, wondering why Rorek's voice sounded so worried. "What's up?" He asked.

"It's Lady Raven, I believe there is something very wrong, I can sense powerful darkness coming from her room, but she will not listen to me. Likely she became angered that I entered her room without permission, but I believe that she is in grave danger if nothing is done." Rorek answered.

Robin blinked, "Are you sure?" He asked.

"I am very sure." Rorek answered.

"But I just came from that direction, I knocked on her door and she sounded fine to me." Robin said.

"If Raven were troubled and she didn't want anyone else to know, would they?"

"Good point, alright let's go try and sort this out." Robin said, walking back towards Raven's room.

* * *

"That hurt quite a bit, I hope you know." Came a much deeper voice from the book. Not quite the voice of the dragon, but different from the voice Malchior had donned only a few months ago.

"Good." Raven hissed. She forced her heart to stop its swift beating and walked defiantly over to pick up the book, "Maybe I'll throw you some more."

"Vindictive, aren't we? Well, I suppose I should have guessed as much. After all, hell hath no fury like a woman scorned." He said.

"Maybe you should go back to sleep until I found out how to destroy you." She threw him, hard, back into the chest and began fixing the lid.

"Destroy me? Hnhn, sweet, naïve, little Raven, is that what Rorek told you? I cannot be destroyed, not while in this book." He said.

"What?!" Raven stopped abruptly, she was about to slam the mended lid back on the book, but stopped.

"I've been wondering when he would come, I also wonder, what exactly he's been telling you and your little friends." Raven glared menacingly at the book before slamming the chest down.

"Clausus, Tectum, Claudo." She chanted. The chest became black and white chains of lightning surrounded it, keeping it shut. She then teleported it back into her secret room, just as there was yet another knock on her door.

Raven opened it up so that it showed only half her face and found Robin there again. But this time Rorek was with him. "Raven, we need to talk." He said.

"About what?" Raven asked, frowning at both of them.

Robin tried to look over her shoulder into her room, she made no move to keep him from it, all he would see would be a lot of books. "About, well, what have you been doing all day?" He asked.

"Research." She answered.

"But what's with all the books? And how come Rorek seems to think there's something dangerous in your room?" Robin questioned.

"Actually, Robin, it seems the danger has passed, I feel no threatening darkness within. It seems Lady Raven was, indeed, telling the truth when she told me she was in control. I apologize." Rorek said, trying to catch Raven's eyes, without much luck.

"Still, Raven, I really think we need to talk, you, me, and Rorek, but mostly, you and Rorek." Robin said.

"I have nothing to say." Raven said. She started to close the door, but Robin put his foot in the way.

"You have nothing you _want_ to say, but there are a lot of things I'm sure you _need_ to say." Robin told her. "Raven, this isn't like you. You're being rather unfair to Rorek too."

Raven glared at him, "If you think I'm going to—" She whispered.

"Can you excuse us for a minute?" Robin asked Rorek.

"Of course." He nodded, he then walked down the hall and entered his own room.

"I know how much you don't want to talk about it, and what it would mean if Rorek knew. Honestly, I don't trust him that much either, even if he _was_ the real wizard, there are too many things that seem suspicious. But really, what are you doing in there that requires so much time?" Robin asked with concern.

Raven sighed, "I am trying to sort through my emotions, I am trying to cleanse myself of Malchior and what happened, so that I might look at Rorek without fear. I know the way I have been acting is uncalled for, and that is what I am trying to fix." She said.

"Raven, tell me, did you take out Malchior's book from your hiding place?" Robin asked.

"I took everything out of there so that I could sort through it all. Don't worry, though, I bound the chest and put it back in its hiding space." She answered.

"Just be careful, okay? I'm not empathic like you, but I think Rorek was really worried, and him being an ancient wizard and all..."

"I know, and perhaps I wasn't in as much control as I thought I was, but I am now." She assured him.

"If there's anything going really wrong, if there's something you need to talk about, you know you can always come to me, or any of us. What Beast Boy said was true, you're not alone." He told her.

"Thank you, Robin. Maybe I can eventually talk about it, but not now." She said, her expression had softened. She began to close the door, and this time Robin didn't stop her.

"See you later." He said, walking off himself.

Raven took a deep breath and looked at her room. It was a mess, perhaps cleaning it up would sooth her more. She put what of Malchior's books she'd already read into the door behind her tapestry, and then started restocking it with the items that had previously been in there.

* * *

"What had conspired?" Rorek questioned Robin.

"Uh, nothing, Raven's just having a few problems, but don't worry about it, she's alright. She'll get through it like she always does." Robin answered.

"Are you sure?"

"Positive."

"Oh good. But, am I the cause of this? Because if so I can leave." He asked.

Robin thought for only a moment, "No, it's not just you, so don't take it personally." He said. It wasn't a complete lie, Rorek, after all, wasn't at fault here. Had none of that ever happened and he appeared, Raven might have enjoyed having someone more like her on the team. And he was very much like Raven, not in personality so much as in his air. He was dark and mysterious, a mystic that knew his art backwards and forwards. But it was the fact that he had appeared which was causing Raven to have so many problems.

* * *

Raven walked through the shelves of the store, placing the books in the box she was levitating behind her in their proper place. Elsa was manning the counter today, which was perfectly fine with Raven, she didn't have to deal with the lines today, not that there were many, it was just that when there were you got some pretty grumpy people to contend with. The humans of this world don't much like to wait, though they're perfectly fine with sitting down and doing nothing but read.

It had been two days since Robin had confronted her, and during those two days Raven had been forcing herself to look Rorek in the eye more and more. But it was more that she was trying to see the difference between them and the ones Malchior had donned in order to deceive her. Well, for one they were in color, but they were still the same shape and had the same long lashes. She had also been pointedly _not_ avoiding Rorek, in fact the past two days they had been on the verge of making their meditation together a habit. And during any conversations they had here and there, Rorek talked about how much he was growing to like it in the Titan Tower. He hadn't gotten Raven to voice many of her opinions quite yet, but she was getting there.

Yet, through all of that, she had yet to calm the beating of her heart whenever she really _looked_ at him.

Raven sighed softly as she stared at the cover of their newest poetry book. "The Eyes I Can't Forget", She opened the first page and read.

_They've been burned deep in my head _

_Like pitch black coal turned to red_

_The shape, the color, of the one I met_

_Those are the eyes I can't forget_

_You crushed me in your iron fist_

_You threw me blind into the mist_

_You carved a cross into my chest_

_You broke my heart and killed the rest_

_The eyes I saw and learned to love_

_Keep coming back like a dove_

_It carries poison and harmful thorns_

_And in the darkness, there, it mourns_

_I can't forget those haunting eyes of blue_

_Though you're not the one I thought I knew_

_You lied, you tricked me, you acted the part_

_Yet I can't hate you, I can't even start_

_They have been sealed inside my mind_

_Like the sun they burn and are not kind_

_The shape, the color, of the one I met_

_Those are the eyes I can never forget_

Raven closed the book and put it away, but not before making sure she memorized the author's name so she could find it again. Right now she couldn't justify buying it, even _with_ an employee's discount.

Only Cyborg and Starfire had gotten jobs so far, both in the departments she had suggested for them. Starfire had even come home with an advanced paycheck, and a large one at that. Apparently having her as a demolition employee saved the company millions, so she was given quite a lot for her firepower. And Cyborg not only knew technology back and forth, but he could lift heavy objects and maneuver about places fairly well. Right now, though, they wanted to do some tests with him in order to figure out what department he'd be the most suitable in, but he had also been promised a hefty paycheck as well. It seemed with the three's combined paychecks, they'd be able to pay off the electric bill in no time, but Beast Boy was determined to prove he could find work somewhere _other_ than fast food (He declares while giving Raven the evil eye), and Robin says he's not going to just sit back and let them do all the work either.

BANG! 

Raven instantly let the box fall to the ground and she ran around the bookshelves towards the gunshot. Someone had screamed, and she recognized that someone as being Elsa. Raven ran to the counter.

"Alright Goth Girl, give us the money in your little redgister, and we'll _think_ about letting you live." Said a rough, haughty voice. Elsa looked more pale then usual, and the men themselves wore black gloves and ski masks on their faces. Were they _stupid_? Even if Raven _weren't_ there, they could easily be tracked. No doubt several people here had cell phones they were now using, and there was no way they'd get out of there before the cops showed up.

"You idiots." She said, causing them to turn and look at her, "Do you _really_ think you can get away with this? I'm sure someone has called the police by now, you're not going to get away with this." She told them.

The three guys just laughed at her. "Maybe not by ourselves!" One said, now pointing his gun at her.

"You're Raven of the Teen Titans, aren't you?" Asked a new voice. A man wearing a black cloak that completely shadowed all but his lips emerged from the darkness.

Raven raised an eyebrow, "And you are?"

"I am the mystic Balegor, I have been hoping for the chance to meet you, I hear you too are a powerful mystic. I challenge you to a duel of magic. Do you accept?" He asked.

Raven narrowed her eyes at him, then she cloaked herself in a cacoon of shadows, changing from her work uniform into her battle costume. "Let's take this outside." She said, her eyes glowing white and her hands crackling with black lightening.

Balegor smirked, "Very well." He phased through the wall of the store and Raven followed him, but not before she cast binding spells on his three accomplices. Out on the street, Balegor didn't waste any time in beginning. "Cendere Globus!" He exclaimed, a ball of fire erupted from his hands and shot at Raven.

"Retexo!" Raven called, causing the fireball to cancel out, "Azrath, Metriom, Zynthos!" She exclaimed, she sprung into the air, her cloak spreading so that it was shaped like the bird of death, her eyes crackled with white lightening and her hands called forth their dark energy. She raised her hands and called forth black lightening to come down from the sky and onto Balegor.

She didn't mean to do that, she didn't want to kill him, nor did she want to seriously injure him. Why had she been so impulsive to do that? Had she not promised herself she would not use Malchior's magic? Maybe she shouldn't have reread those books.

Luckily, or maybe not so luckily, Balegor had pulled up a shield just in time to protect him, but he had still been wounded, and the street was becoming a chaotic scene. People were running away to avoid the battle, police sirens could be heard, and the street had been destroyed where she'd sent the black lightening. Thankfully Balegor flew into the air, and their 'duel' would continue where destruction wasn't such a certainty.

Oh well, he had proven himself to be powerful enough, might as well use the power she had. Raven raised her hands into the air and began to call forth dark clouds while Balegor began to chant a spell under his breath. Suddenly a pentagon symbol appeared before him in blood red light, and out of it came a creature of nightmares. Black and misty, it took on the shape of a wyvern with glowing red eyes and stained red teeth. It came at Raven, intent on swallowing her whole, but she had gathered enough energy, she unleashed a furry of spells upon the dragon from the clouds. Lightning, fire, and blades of ice rained down upon the creature, causing it to cry out in pain.

Raven dodged the beast's attempt to snatch her out of the air and flew around him, "Azrath, Metriom, Zynthos!" She exclaimed, calling forth a black aura around the beast's master, who hadn't noticed her there until the last minute. "That's what you get for being cocky." She told him, sealing him in another binding spell. She then turned to the wyvern, who was just now coming back around at her. She swiftly began casting a spell to return him to wherever Balegor had sent him. "Recurro Domus!" She commanded, just in time to avoid getting a good chunk of her bitten off. The wyvern cried out its rage, but couldn't shake the power of the spell. It soon disappeared.

And the next second Raven felt her binding spell break. She spun around in the air just in time to see Balegor shoot something at her, but not in time to completely escape being hit by the violet beam of light.

Raven clutched her shoulder and bit back a cry of pain, instead she glared at Balegor and began directing the power of her black clouds on to him, making sure that the spells would disperse if they missed so that they wouldn't hit anything else.

Too many of the black-colored spells hit Balegor, and finally he was knocked out of the sky, a black ice crystal lodged in his chest. Raven dispersed her clouds and used her magic so that he did not hit the concrete. She preformed another binding spell, and then flew down to the ground with him in tow.

The police had rounded up the three robbers and had calmed down the innocent passersby and customers. "Uh, Raven right?" Asked one of them as Raven dispersed the icicle in Balegor's chest.

"Yes." She answered as she healed the wound. "This one is a mystic, so keep him drugged and you won't need anything drastic to keep him locked up." She instructed, turning to the destruction of the window and the street.

"Er, right..." The officer said. He watched in amazement as she raised her hands and mended the rubble within moments. "Wow, _that'll_ save a lot of tax money." He marveled.

"Hey Rookie! Get yer $#$ over here right now!" Yelled another officer, irritated that his charge was making happy conversation with a Teen Titan. The police and the Titans didn't exactly work well together. Somehow the Police seemed to think it was there job to stop _all_ the crime, even if they were ridiculously powerful super villains.

Raven went back into the store before she gained _too_ much attention, unfortunately, there was now a crowd of Goths awaiting her return.

Some wanted her to show them more of her spells, others wanted her to _teach_ them her spells, and then there was a collection of other questions related to the whole super-hero thing. One, if you can believe it, actually asked if she'd ever met Batman. She, of course, told them no. She had met Batman, but not as Batman. Bruce Wayne was the one who funded them in Jump City (in spite of Robin's hidden dislike of him) so of _course_ she'd seen him before.

It took a while before things settled back down, actually they didn't. Now that most of the regular customers knew who she was (she was pretty sure they'd had some guesses) there was a shortage of those annoying people who messed up displays and rearranged books on purpose, which was all well and good, but now people were going to openly come up and ask her stuff, which, she was sure, was going to get _very_ annoying.

Aron, on the other hand, was actually quite delighted. Obviously he thought that they'd get more customers once the regulars told all their goth friends she was working here. Maybe they would, maybe they wouldn't. Raven was hoping it'd be the latter.

* * *

Upon returning to the Tower, Raven saw Rorek meditating in front of the window of the living room. She looked at him for a moment, and then began her walk to the stairs, when something came to mind. "Rorek?" She asked, deciding to approach him.

"Yes?" He asked turning around to face her.

"Why do you keep a scarf over your face?" She asked him.

Rorek's eyes seemed to smile, "So that I can stick my tongue out at people and they won't know." He answered.

"Heheh, you got that from Beast Boy, didn't you?" She asked, unable to stop herself from chuckling.

"You are correct. I do not know what that sort of gesture would accomplish, besides tasting my scarf, but Beast Boy mentioned that was something I could do." He answered. "There are two reasons I wear this scarf, the first is the same reason that you wear a hood, and that Robin wears a mask. To conceal my identity, though that is hardly needed now. But the other, it's rather embarrassing but, I have a very strong sense of smell." He chuckled. "During my time, there was a fashion of perfume with the women, and I could hardly stand to be near one. This scarf muffles all smells so that they are not as potent to me. And it seems I need it, the air of this time period is rather stifling, I'm only just now getting use to it, even with the scarf on." He told her.

"I see." Raven nodded.

"Would you...like to see my face?" He asked bringing his hands to the scarf.

Raven's hear gave a thump in her ears, but this time it was different. She had never seen the rest of his face, only his eyes. If he removed the scarf, then maybe... "Yes, yes I would." She answered.

Rorek worked the scarf off his face and let it rest around his neck. He looked at her, expectantly, with a gentle smile on his face. Raven was unable to keep a small smile of her own from reaching her lips, but she was smiling for a different reason than what he might have thought. She had found it, she was free! The complete unfamiliarity of his whole face seemed to soothe her entire being. She saw him now, not as the one Malchior had pretended to be, but as Rorek.

His face was, almost feminine actually. He had no beard or mustache, but soft jawbone and an angular nose. He was very handsome, in his own way, but was what you would probably refer to as a 'pretty boy'. Raven didn't care much about all of that, though, she was too elated with the fact that, now, she could see him differently, she could see his eyes, his hair, and even his ears differently.

Rorek's smile seemed to broaden after a moment. "What?" Raven asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"Nothing, it's just...you smell very nice. Like a dark flower I once knew of but have forgotten." He told her.

Raven fought back the blush she knew was probably decorating her cheeks, "You can smell _me_ through all the other scents in this room?" She asked.

"Actually, yes. It's quite simple, the other smells are old, they've been there for a while, yours is fresh, so that I know its you." He told her.

"You really _do_ have a good sense of smell, why is that?" She asked him.

He shrugged, "It's just something I was born with I suppose." It felt odd, watching his lips move with his words, but the strangeness of it was making Raven feel all the more free.

"Interesting," Raven said with a yawn. "Well," She said, stretching her arms out, "I'm going on to bed. See you in the morning." She said, turning to leave.

"Raven?"

"Yes?"

"Tomorrow, would it be okay if I accompanied you to this Alabaster's place? It sounds rather interesting." He asked.

Raven shrugged, "Sure, I don't see a problem. Goodnight." She said.

"Goodnight."

Raven launched herself on her bed, feeling better than she had in days. She had done it! And all it had taken was seeing all of his face. She was free now, she saw him as a different person, she could look into his eyes and see Rorek, not Malchior. She was free of his iron grip, free from that haunting dream. Now she could remove all of Malchior's books from her room and begin to move on with her life again.

Raven changed into her nightdress and settled herself in her bed with her book of poetry. Tomorrow she would make herself some herbal tea and, if BB and Cyborg were still on that movie, offer to watch it with them.

Eventually Raven closed her book and turned out her light.

* * *

"**Raven, my sweet Raven, I miss you, you know. Why don't you come and talk to me sometimes? Even your fiery temper would be enough for me." A caressing finger ran up the edge of her jaw from behind. But when Raven spun around, no one was there, just darkness.**

"**You, I've had enough of you, leave me be! I want nothing to do with you anymore!" She snapped.**

"**I can't do that, Raven." A pair of strong arms wrapped around her form, Malchior's breath tickled her neck. "Especially now that I can enter your dreams." He said.**

**Raven spun around to strike him, but almost instantly he had disappeared again and her leg went through air instead. "What do you mean?!" She demanded. The shadows before her dispersed and there stood Malchior. He looked exactly like Rorek, save that his hair was black, his eyes were red, his skin was pale, his bodysuite and scarf were dark violet, and his armor was black.**

"**You opened my book, Raven, and you allowed me access to your magic through the barrier you put upon that chest. It took me a while, but now I am able to enter your dreams." He said, walking towards her. Raven moved back, glaring at him menacingly.**

"**Get out of my dreams." She hissed, "Stay out of my mind, stay out of my life!" She ordered.**

**Malchior stopped his stride and gave her a taunting look, "You don't really want that, do you? No, you still love me. But I still love you as well, Raven, and I will not leave you alone." He told her.**

"**Enough of your lies! I refuse to believe another word you say! Azrath, Metri—" Suddenly Malchior's body seemed to shoot at her like an arrow, and before she could get away, he had her in his arms and bending over, their faces not even inches apart. Raven struggled, pushing against him with all her might and trying to keep her feet on the ground at the same time.**

"**You think I'm lying, but I'm not, Raven. Yes, I did deceive you into thinking I was Rorek, and I was cruel to you after being freed. But I am a dragon, it is my nature, especially in my true form. But know that I did not lie when I told you I loved you." He pulled her down to the invisible floor of the dark expanse they were in, Raven still struggling to get away. He held her fast, lying on top of her as he nuzzled her neck.**

"**Get off!" She hissed, trying to kick him, hit him, anything to get him off of her.**

**Malchior raised his head so that she could feel his breath on her ear. "Rorek may court you all he likes," She felt his bare cheek up against hers, what did that mean? Where was his scarf? "But you are mine, you are my sweet Raven." He whispered.**

"**I don't belong to you, nor anyone!" She snapped, giving her leg the strongest jerk she could, which was the best she could do in way of a kick. It didn't do any good.**

"**But you do." He said smoothly. He brought his hands up so that they trapped her face, and he forced her to look at him, look at his face. It was Rorek's face, but different. No, it wasn't Rorek's face, it was _Malchior's_ face, the face Malchior had taken and turned into his own. Raven glared at him in hatred. "Face it, Raven, you gave you're heart to me and I have no intention of giving it back." Their noses were nearly touching.**

"**Azrath, Me—" She tried again, but he silenced her, pressing his lips to hers, leaving her no room for escape. She hit him and struggled as much as she could, but she couldn't get away. She tried biting his tongue when he forced it into her mouth, but he groaned, as if he liked it, and pressed down harder, massaging her lips with his own.**

Raven didn't even wait for herself to wake up completely, she teleported straight to the bathroom (thankfully unoccupied) and threw up in the toilet. She could feel the after-effects in her mouth, still taste Malchior's blood where she had bit his tongue, could still feel it in her mouth. And it made her sick to think about.

She had to flush the toilet twice before she was finished, and by then her mouth was so fowled up with _that_ taste that she no longer felt, or tasted, Malchior.

Raven slumped to the floor after washing herself, and her mouth out. She was shaking, trembling. She felt weak and helpless, but she wasn't going to cry, she _refused_ to cry. No, she wasn't going to give him the satisfaction.

There had to be a way to fight him. Merely not sleeping anymore wouldn't work, and if he had a direct connection to her through that barrier she put on the chest, more barriers wouldn't work either. And once the connection had been established, taking away the barrier wouldn't do anything to keep him out of her dreams.

Raven stood up and forced her heart to stop beating; she regained control over her emotions and forced herself to think logically. What she would have to do is figure a way of either fighting him within the dream, or severing the link he had obtained with her mind. It shouldn't be that hard, after all, there was little he could do as a book, making the connection had taken him two whole days, so it was most likely a weak connection.

For now, there was a type of meditation she could use that would allow her body and mind the rest they needed without dreaming. However, she may be only half human, but she knew that she couldn't go a long time without dreams.

She left the bathroom, not really feeling like teleporting, and headed back to her room.

"Raven?"

Raven looked up, it was Rorek. "What are you still doing up?" She asked him.

"I woke up because I heard you screaming in my mind, I was coming to check on you...is everything alright?" He asked with concern.

Raven pressed her hand to her door and took a few deep breaths, at this point, she probably wouldn't be able to lie so well. "No, but it's something only I can deal with." She told him.

"Are you sure? I mean, if there's anything I can do, I would like to help." He told her.

Raven considered a moment, Rorek was an ancient wizard, he'd lived many adventures and knew a lot of magics, surely he would know how to keep Malchior out of her dreams. But she had to present it to him so that he didn't suspect. Maybe she could tell him Balegor cursed her just before she sent him off to jail and she needed a spell that would close her mind to all external forces, without hindering her own empathic powers.

"Actually, there may be a way, but not tonight." She answered, still considering.

"Tomorrow then." He said, sounding hopeful.

"Yes." She nodded and then she went into her room.

"Goodnight."

* * *

A/N: Hmmmm...I don't know, should I change the rating to pg-13, or was the dream scene not juicy enough to be given such a privilege? What do you guys think? Or are you screaming at me to change the rating just so I _can_ make it juicier? Lol. 


	7. The New Threat

* * *

A/N: Hey guys! Guess who! Yeah, yeah okay. Ahem, since most of you don't read the beginning author notes I'm just gonna leave my comments till the end. For now, enjoy the fic.

* * *

My fall will be for you 

_My love will be in you_

_You were the one to cut me_

_So I will bleed forever_

"_Rorek can court you all he likes, but you are still mine, you are my sweet Raven."_ Raven ran her fingers through her hair, trying to get Malchior's words out of her head, without much success. What did he mean? Rorek wasn't _courting _her, and even if he was, how would _he_ know that? He probably didn't, perhaps he just assumed that he would. But why? Did he misinterpreted something in the way she acted? That didn't seem possible.

"_Know that I did not lie when I told you I loved you."_ Another lie, he just...he just...but...why? Why would he say that? Surely he wasn't expecting her to release him again, especially when he...she shuddered, remembering the dream. Would she be lucky enough to wake up so soon next time? What would happen if she couldn't wake herself up? If she couldn't get away from him? No, she couldn't let that happen, she _wouldn't_ let that happen.

But, still, why would he tell her that lie? She knew it was a lie, he was a dragon after all, and if he did love her he wouldn't have done that to her. He wouldn't have betrayed her like that...But then, how do dragons love? No, they didn't love, he didn't have that kind of heart. It was a lie.

* * *

"Hey Raaaaaaaveeeeeen." Came a haughty call from her door. What could Beast Boy _possibly_ want at...oh, it was 11:00 already.

"What?" Raven asked, opening the door its usual width. Beast Boy gave her a superior grin.

"I, contrary to popular belief, was able to get a job, that did _not_ require fast food!" He declared gloatingly, "I am working in construction, boo-ya!"

"Good for you, maybe you can entertain the other workers." Raven said with a slight smirk.

"Yep! And I—hey wait a minute!" BB came back, looking ticked, "What do I gotta do to prove to you that I'm just as capable as anyone else, huh?!" He exclaimed.

"Heheh, I apologize. Congratulations, Beast Boy, you proved me wrong." She said.

"Uuuuuh, Raven? Are you feeling okay?" Beast Boy asked, raising his eyebrow at her.

Raven didn't answer, she just ruffled his hair up a bit while passing him to go on to the living room. Beast Boy watched her with a freaked out expression on his face, "Uuuuuh, hey wait up!" He exclaimed.

"'Sup Rae?" Cyborg greeted as she entered the living room. She walked over into the kitchen to look for something to eat, and found very little.

"Um, we're almost out of food." She said.

"Er, yeah, all our grocery money went to the electric bill as well as Star's first paycheck, we're gonna have to make due." Robin said.

Raven sighed and poured the rest of the raisin brand into a bowl, she then poured as little milk as she could get away with and brought it over to the table to eat. "Next paycheck, whoever gets it, needs to go to food." BB said as he rummaged through the fridge and pantry.

"I wanna go out for pizza _so_ bad." Cyborg grumbled, looking at his cereal with distain.

"Sorry, Cy, but we can't justify pizza right now." Robin said with a sigh.

"Good morning." Said a drowsy voice.

"Hey Rorek, you're up earlier than usual." Beast Boy said.

"I felt it would be best if I altered my sleep schedule to match everyone else's." He answered, rubbing one of his eyes. He went over to the fridge and took out an apple. He then sat down (next to Raven of course snickers evilly ), and worked off his scarf so he could eat. Everyone but Raven stared. Rorek looked up, "Yes?" He asked, slightly confused.

"Dude, you have a face!" Beast Boy exclaimed.

"Errr..." Rorek just looked at him.

"Someone hit him." Raven said. Cyborg gave Beast Boy a good smack upside the head. "Thank you." She said.

"Please forgive our staring, but this is the first time that we have seen you without your scarf on." Starfire said.

Rorek chuckled, "I understand. I haven't been eating at the same times as you, and I don't exactly make a point of having it off either." He said.

"Why not?" Beast Boy asked. Cyborg hit him again. "Owe!"

"No, it's alright. It's because I was born with a very strong sense of smell, and the scarf muffles the scents so that they don't overwhelm me." He explained.

"Oh. Well that's cool." Beast Boy said.

_BWEEEP BWEEEEP BWEEEEEEEEP!!!_

"I hope no one has to go to work soon." Robin said.

"Not until tomorrow!" BB exclaimed.

"Let's go!"

"But my breakfast!" Cyborg exclaimed.

"You don't really like raisin bran do you?" Raven asked.

"Well, no, but—"

"Then _come on_." She said, "Or Beast Boy will be driving your car." She threatened.

"Not my baby! Oh no he doesn't!!!" Cyborg exclaimed, running after them.

* * *

"Heyyyyy, how come we gotta sit in the back seat again?!" Beast Boy complained.

"Because we are girls and you are boys!" Starfire answered brightly.

Beast Boy raised an eyebrow, "Okay, Star, just _how many_ magazines have you been reading?" He asked.

"Only 22 so far!" She answered. Everyone sweatdropped.

"Where have you been getting them, just wondering?" Raven asked.

"Hey Cy! Wanna put our Stink Ball moves to the test?!" Beast Boy asked.

"Are you two _still_ playing that game?" Raven questioned, shocked that they had actually found something that would hold their attention for more than a week.

"They've been using it as a way of coming up with new battle moves, so this should be rather interesting." Robin said.

"Hnhnhn." Rorek chuckled.

"Hey, don't dis Stink Ball yo!" Cyborg exclaimed.

"Cyborg, keep your eyes on the road." Raven ordered.

"Uh...." Cyborg stared at what should have been the road.

"Dude, what road?" BB asked.

Raven looked out the window, streaks of darkly colored light was going past them against a black background, and that was about it. There was no road, nor was there a sky. "I think, we've been trapped." She said.

"_Naw_, really!?" BB exclaimed.

"No, we're being ported." Rorek said.

"Say what?" Robin questioned.

"Ported, it's old magic, like being teleported, only it isn't instant, obviously. Distance and quantity matter, but it is almost impossible to break away from, in spite of the time it sometimes takes to get from one point to the next." He told them.

"Meaning...?" BB asked.

"Meaning our assailant knows there are mystics in the vehicle who could, rather easily, block a regular external teleportation spell. That being the case, he wouldn't be doing so unless he were confident that we would be unable to defeat him in combat." Rorek explained.

"Which is a real bad thing. Okay plan time." Robin said, turning around in his seat.

"The instant we get to wherever we're going, we jump out of the car at once and start blasting anything that moves, right?" Cyborg asked.

"Uh, no. Since this guy knows we have magic users, and is probably considering Raven and Rorek his biggest threat, let's see about surprising him with a completely non-magical battle tactic." Robin told them.

"Oh yea! Sucker punching time, whoo!" Cyborg cheered.

"I shall administer the most lethal b$& slap in all of b$& history." Starfire said. Everyone stared.

"Star, as leader I hereby forbade, with your own interests in mind, you from reading anymore magazines, and will ask you never to say that word ever again." Robin said.

"Yeah, it's really creepy." Beast Boy said, making a very freaked out face.

"Um, I'm not that skilled at hand-to-hand." Raven pointed out.

"Then you can be our defense." Robin told her.

"Look!" Starfire suddenly exclaimed. The background of black and streaks was fading, and the car was sitting still in what looked like the inside of a mediaeval castle of _very_ gothic design.

"Okay this is way creepy." Beast Boy said.

"Everyone out!" Robin ordered. In an instant they were out of the car, and in the threshold of whoever had brought them here. Who was...no where to be seen.

"Okay, this is new." Beast Boy said, "Check it out." He then pointed them to the other side of their vehicle, where a large table, practically towering with different foods, stood, seemingly waiting for them.

"It's probably poisoned." Raven told them.

"Probably, or drugged. Don't touch it." Robin agreed.

"I don't sense anyone else in the room with us." Rorek told them.

"Search for exits then." Robin ordered.

Starfire, Raven, and Rorek flew up to the windows, Cyborg and Beast Boy tried the doors, while Robin poked about the tapestries, rugs, and anything that might conceal a secret passageway.

Starfire tried to blast her window, without much luck, and when Raven tried to break it her magic was instantly repelled, not even Rorek could get through. So they combined their magic and focused on one window. But for all they could see it was an ordinary stain glass window. Cyborg was currently hammering in what he thought was the weakest looking wooden door, and Beast Boy was currently turning into all sorts of different tinsy animals and bugs, but not even his fly form was able to get through the non-existing cracks. Robin's search was, likewise, unfruitful.

After a good while they gathered back. "Alright, let's try and think this through, Rorek, what sorts of properties does this spell have, exactly?" Robin asked.

"Well, it is very complex to perform, but the spell itself is rather basic, which makes it nearly impossible to get free of or even avoid. You understand?" He asked.

"Uh, no." BB answered.

"Any chance that the caster could have ported us to another dimension?" Raven asked.

Rorek suddenly looked at her as if he was about to shout, 'Raven you're a genius!', but he wasn't quite that far into modern-day speech, though he was swiftly learning. Instead he said, "Yes! Yes it very well could! If the caster can use the spell at all, well, there are few limits to basic spells like this. Which is why ancient magic is so powerful. That's it then! This must be a sub-space dimension!" He exclaimed.

"A what?" everyone (save Raven and Rorek) asked.

"A sub-space dimension is a man-made dimension, and these dimensions can only exist within sub-space, which is a lot like the magical version of the internet, however it's physical as well. But it's a personal dimension, like a sub-space pocket, but its only function is not to store items." Raven answered.

"Oh! I get it! So we're inside someone's advanced version of a sub-space pocket!!!" BB exclaimed.

_Not really, but oh well._ Raven sweatdropped.

"So how do we get out?" Robin asked.

"Simple, either the person who made this dimension brings us out, or we destroy it." Raven said.

"Alright, how do we destroy it?" Asked Cyborg.

"Not so simple." Rorek put in. He was about to go on, but he suddenly spun around, facing the large throne at the end of the threshold. There sat a man completely covered in a black cloak, only a small portion of his mouth was visible, which was currently curved up in a smirk.

"Very perceptive, I must admit that I am impressed. I was not expecting another wizard, though. I thought the Teen Titans had only 5 members currently, seems they've added on since I last checked my records." He said.

"How did you get out of jail? I told them to drug you." Raven said, her voice was the same monotone it usually was, which suggested that she didn't see him as too much of a threat. After all, if she beat him once, she can do it again.

"Ah, Raven, how nice to see you remember me. And they did drug me, but I am immune to all human drugs." He then stood up and pushed back the head of his cloak.

"Is it just me, or is the creepiness level of this mission skyrocketing?" Beast Boy asked. The titans all stared, even Raven's eyes were wide.

His skin color was a cross between lavender and silver without seeming _too_ out of place, his hair was copper colored, styled in an uneven bowl-cut so that his front bangs were longer than his back hair. And his eyes, well, it seemed like he had a mask on, but it was also apparent that that was natural. They were completely white with a dark black rim around the edges. All in all, he was _not_ what anyone had expected him to be: Young and quite attractive.

"To be honest, I don't intend to keep you here, in fact I will gladly send you all back. The only one I wanted was my bride." He said.

Everyone stared at him, eyes wide, and then they all looked at Starfire, who was looked both shock and as if she were debating on whether to be disgusted or just plain freaked out.

"No! I mean you Raven!" Balegor exclaimed. Starfire breathed out a very obvious sigh of relief. But now everyone was staring at Raven, and she was looking at Balegor like he was crazy, which he probably was.

"Did I hit you a little too hard back there?" She asked him.

"So that's the other sorcerer you were talking about?" Robin asked.

"Alright, first one villain gets a crush on Robin, and this guy wants to make Raven his wife, does this mean one of us is next?!" Beast Boy exclaimed, now looking more freaked at _that_ prospect than at Balegor.

"Starfire and Cyborg maybe." Raven said.

"HEY!" BB yelled.

"AHEM!" Balegor exclaimed.

"I'm sorry, are we ignoring you?" Robin asked, smirking slightly. Balegor looked ticked.

Cyborg looked at BB, and the two grinned evilly at each other, and then at Balegor, who raised a cocky eyebrow. The fool.

"STANK BALL!!!" Cyborg yelled, somehow producing the large knot of smelly socks from out of nowhere and inserting it into his cannon. He then shot it up in the air where Beast Boy suddenly appeared, did some crazy move in the air, and kicked it at Balegor. And since a wizard is usually a lot more magically powerful than physically able, he got creamed.

"Don't laugh, it'll encourage them." Raven told Rorek, who was having a hard time _not_ laughing. "I don't suppose you have an all-purpose drug potion on hand we could use on him?" Raven asked.

"Sorry, but give me three minutes in that closet of yours and I could make a large batch." He answered.

"It isn't over yet guys." Robin said, just as Balegor gathered himself up and glared at them all.

"I hadn't planed on killing you, but now I think I will." He said. He raised his hands into the air and summoned up some violet energy. "Vigor, Divinitas, Nox!" He chanted.

"Azrath, Metriom, Zynthos!" Raven said.

"Animatus, Specula, Aeternitus!" Rorek exclaimed.

The three power chants clashed, black and white energies against the violet of Balegor. Rorek and Raven stood beside each other, their energies mixed and empowered one another, driving Balegor back with surprising ease. The stone walls, the stained glass, and all the other ornaments in the dimensional room began to crumble around them all, fading into black, and becoming what looked to be an abandoned warehouse, probably where Balegor had last been when he entered his sub-space dimension.

"You may have won for now, but you can't count on your little friends to be there for you all the time, Raven. You _will_ be my bride!" Balegor's voice rang.

Raven sweatdropped, "Shoot me now." She said as Cyborg and Beast Boy started snickering and poking her with evil grins on their faces. 

"Hey, what's up Rorek?" Robin asked.

"It was...too easy." The three looked up at him, Starfire flew over to his side.

"But you and Raven are very powerful, surely it is not a surprise that, combined, your powers are far grater than that strangely skinned man." She said.

"He used ancient magic to bring us to his sub-space dimension, which also required a bit of ancient magic as well. I have yet to accomplish creating myself a sub-space pocket, and yet when I faced him the other day, it was actually quite easy to defeat him." Raven said.

"So? Just because he can use a certain type of magic doesn't mean he—"

"It takes a lot of power to weld the spells of old. Many believe that spells have become more powerful along the ages, but really they have only become more power efficient, yet more easy to deflect." Rorek explained.

"It's like old cars, they cost more to maintain and put energy into, but they were made of steel and iron. Ancient spells are basic, hard to use, but also nearly impossible to deflect or fool. More recent spells are more complicated in order to save power and energy in their casting. A wizard who could use ancient spells in this time period should have been able to put up a very powerful match to even our combined force chants." Raven explained.

"Exactly, and yet we fought him off with hardly any trouble at all. Either of us could have handled him individually without much hassle." Rorek said.

"Maybe he was spent up from the port spell." Robin suggested.

"He would have regained that power during the period in which we had been trying to find a way out of there." Rorek told him.

"There are three explanations for this, one is that he was using another ancient spell in the process of combating us, two is that he used the power of an item or a book which he was too cocky to think he'd need against us, and three is that he had some external help." Raven said.

"And because the first two are unlikely, seeing as he had battled Raven once before and lost, the last is very possibly the answer." Rorek finished.

"So you're saying that he's working under someone?!" Beast Boy exclaimed.

"Perhaps the villain Slade..." Starfire began.

"Starfire, Slade isn't a mystic in any way, shape, or form." Raven told her.

"Right, so now we have a new threat on our hands, one that is probably more powerful than Raven and Rorek put together, right?" Robin asked.

"It depends, but yes, basically." Raven answered.

"But what about the dude wanting Raven to be his wife?" Beast Boy asked. Rorek coughed uncomfortably.

"He's a, how do you say? Pushover." Rorek answered.

"We will let that subject die _now_." Raven told BB with a fierce glare.

"Yes ma'am." Beast Boy squeaked, shrinking into a rat so he could hide behind Cyborg.

* * *

_Lightening is power, it is pure energy and can be quite destructive. Positive and negative charges can also have different effects upon things and spells. Now that you have finished this chapter you should be well able to use this element either raw or to charge the destructive spells you cast. However, these elemental chapters are only to get you familiar and comfortable with each different element in turn so that this book can begin to teach you, the reader and student, powerful spells that pertain to this magic type._

Knock, knock, knock. "Raven?" Raven marked her place and closed her book so she could go over to the door. She opened it as much as she usually does and looked at Rorek.

"Yes?" She asked.

"Well, you said last night that there was something I might be able to help you with." He answered.

Raven nodded. She'd been thinking a good long while about how to approach the subject, and thought she might have a solution. "Yes, I do." She answered. She then looked into her room, thinking hard. It would be the best place to study, but...she didn't like anyone coming into her room but her.

"It might be easier if we did this in your room, unless you'd like to go into mine instead." Rorek offered. Well, that settled it, there was no way she was going into his room.

"Lately, when I begin to relax my mind too much, I start to hear things. And I've been having very...off, dreams." She said uncomfortably.

"What kind of dreams?" He asked. Raven pressed her lips together and averted her eyes from him. "Right, I won't ask. So what can I help you with?" He asked.

"I need to know if there is a way to shut my mind off from any and all external forces unless I consciously wish otherwise." She said.

"There is, remember? When we first...er...met, I was able to close my mind to you. Which was no easy task, mind you, but because it is ancient magic..." He didn't have to say anymore.

"Can you teach me how to do use it? And will it still be with me when I sleep?" She asked him.

"Of course. This is actually more of a skill than a spell, and once you are able to use it proficiently it will be like a door that you can open and close yourself." He answered. "However, if I am to really know how well you can use it, you must teach me empathy." He told her.

"I'm afraid I can't, I wouldn't know where to start because it's an innate talent. Would you be able to teach me how to have a better sense of smell?" She asked him.

Rorek chuckled, "To a certain point, maybe, but never fully." He answered. "I see, then. Well, I suppose all we can do then is see if the dreams and voices go away. For now I can give you a recipe for a dreamless sleep potion if you think it will help." He told her.

"Yes, I'd like that." Raven answered.

"Well then, shall we get started?"

* * *

A/N: Whee! Another chapter finished!

Anyways, I think I'm gonna keep it at pg-13, just to be safe, because eventually there _will_ be some blood and gore and a few more heavy scenes. Though in my opinion it isn't really as bad as _some_ authors have out. But we'll have to see how it goes. I might even write some really violent scenes just to satisfy the rating, and then again, have I ever written something violent...? (Thinks about certain other characters in her stories) Okay, ya I have.

And to those of you who are still a little confused, I am the spirit of a powerful dragon that was slain over 10 thousand years ago and am currently possessing the body of a teenage girl so that one day I might rise up once more and take over the world! Actually, no, that's way to cliché, I think I'll just take over some big jewelry company so I can shower myself with wonderful shiny things and rebuild my horde. Just as fun and without all the political hassle.


	8. Demon's Love

A/N: Mmmmmm, chocolate chips are gooooooooooood.

* * *

"Visualize your mind as a partly opened door, this door determines both how well you are able to pick up on the information flow from other doors, as well as how suceptable your own information is to leaving your door. There are three types of these doors, the first is what you have, a door that can open you up to others, and allow you to enter others. The second is one that is only open for information to go _in_, and the third is what most all humans have, a door that only allows others to enter, but not you to go into others.

"It is much easier to close and reopen the door than it is to learn how to open it wider. Now, mind this metaphor isn't fool proof, it merely helps to have a foundation of understanding in what you are trying to do. These doors aren't exactly doors, nor are they quite like portals. In fact it is quite hard to accurately describe them in physical terms. But what you want to find is that which allows your mind to be access as well as what allows you to access others.

"This sort of meditation is very hard, but all ancient magics are quite difficult to use, as you already know. It will take you some time to master, took me the majority of a year, but I was much younger and inexperienced at the time. You, on the other hand, probably won't have that much trouble."

"So what do I do?" Raven asked.

"Close your eyes and first empty your mind. Just think of nothing, it's different from your version, though, because you don't have to release all of your emotions, you just need to think of nothing for a moment and relax your body." He explained. "Now, this chant will help you to find your 'door', think of the words and the magic in them, that's about all I can tell you." He answered. "Let's try it, Expositus Me—"

"Hey RAAAAAVEEEEEEN!!!" A voice called from the door. It felt like a hammer had suddenly slammed itself down upon them, breaking both the mood of meditation, and their concentration.

"Beast Boy, I, am, _busy_." Raven hissed.

"Well, I was wondering, could you _pleeeeeeease_ watch the movie with us?!?!?!" Beast Boy exclaimed.

"Are you _still_ trying to get us to watch that thing?" Raven asked, looking ticked.

"Well, yeah, we're not gonna watch it unless there's someone else with us!" Cyborg's voice called. "It's boring then!"

Raven sighed, "Alright, alright, I'll watch it with you, but not right now, okay? Let's do it tomorrow." She told them.

"Yeah!!! You won't be sorry Rae!" Cyborg called.

"Come on, lets go play some more Stink Ball to celebrate!" BB's distant voice was saying.

"Well, that takes care of them." Raven said.

"Are you really going to watch their movie?" Rorek questioned.

"I don't have a choice now." She sighed.

"In that case I suppose I'll go with you, so you don't have to suffer alone." He said.

"Misery does love company."

Rorek laughed, "That's a good one, did you just make that up?" he asked.

"No, it's an old figure of speech that's been around for a long time." She answered.

"I can see why." He chuckled. "Shall we continue then?" He asked. She nodded and them closed her eyes again. "Now, repeat after me. Expositus Meus Perspicientia Mentis." He said

"Expositus Meus Perspicientia Mentis."

"Arcanus Meus Perspicienta Mentis."

"Arcanus Meus Perspicienta Mentis." She repeated.

"Right, just repeat those two several times to memorize them. Expositus Meus Perspicientia Mentis, Arcanus Meus Perspicienta Mentis." He told her.

She repeated it several times before the words became natural, and even then she had to concentrate on remembering all of it. It helped that only the first word was different in the two parts of the chant. But when she could remember it correctly, she started to realize that she was becoming aware of her own mind and, after about an hour of this, her 'door' as well. She felt it, felt the connection she had with other minds, the two-way track that she had obtained, which gave her her empathy and Malchior a window into her mind through her power. If she could close it, if she could control when it was opened, and when it was closed...

"Alright, Raven, sorry to interrupt but I want to try something else." Rorek's voice came. Raven opened her eyes and nodded. "I want you to focus your empathy on me, and in doing so, try to figure out how I 'open and close' my mind to you." He told her.

"Alright." She said, she then focused on Rorek. At first she couldn't feel anything from him, it was as if he were an emotionless shell of a man, mindless almost. And then she felt a sort of calm, meditative feeling from him, as if she had suddenly broken through a barrier. She focused on his emotions, but before she could figure out what he was thinking it closed again.

"Now, notice that I am able to sense your power taking in the information flowing from the opening of my mind, I can tell what you have been told by it. This is extremely useful if you come across a powerful psychic, you'll be able to keep what you don't want known inside of you, and will be able to control what they see and know of you. It isn't a crucial talent, but I feel it might come in handy. However since you are the only empathic one available to us, we won't be able to truly train in this part of it. My teacher was a psychic, you see, so he was able to figure out where I stood in my studies and how well I could block his external force. But maybe all I have to do is teach you how to do it." He said.

"First, though, I think we should focus on the present task." Raven suggested.

"Right." He said with a chuckle. He then started to look around her room, as if lost in thought. He seemed to study her huge book collection (which didn't include Malchior's books at the present moment), her wall ornaments, the statues and tapestries. She had a lot of stuff, but it was all put away accordingly, adding to the décor of her room. Not even the hangman tapestry stood out very much, though his eyes did linger upon it some. "Raven?" he suddenly spoke. Raven was suddenly jarred awake it seemed, had she been staring at him?

"Yes?" She asked, swiftly regaining any composure she may have lost.

Rorek turned his eyes back to her and they locked together. Raven was suddenly conscious of the fact that they were sitting, cross-legged, and facing each other on her bed. "Do you...do you trust me?" He asked.

It seemed like such an odd question that Raven just stared at him for a moment, blinking. That was a good question, but, she wouldn't have let him into her room if she didn't, she wouldn't be allowing him enter such a private domain, nor would she have thought to ask him to teach her how to close off her mind if she didn't trust him. "Mostly. Why?" She questioned.

"'Mostly'?" Rorek averted his eyes again.

"I don't trust anyone, or anything completely. It's dangerous." She answered. Or rather, she didn't anymore...or did she? She felt like she could trust most of the Titans with her life, she felt she could trust Rorek with her life...but that was about it.

"Hnhn, I suppose that is wise, but how can one live if one cannot give their trust fully to anyone? If only so that they might have an anchor when everything else crumbles." He said.

"I can trust the Titans with my life, if that's what you mean." She told him.

"Can you trust _me_, Raven?" He asked, still not looking at her.

"Why? Are you hiding something?" Raven asked him.

"No, Raven," He turned his eyes back and locked with hers. Raven nearly gasped, his eyes, they held so much emotion, emotion that she did not dare interpret. But suddenly he took her hands in his own and leaned forward, as if to push the emotion in his eyes into her. She didn't lean back to compensate, in fact it felt as if her body wanted to lean in along with him, she wanted to be near him, wanted him to hold her, to hold her closer than Malchior's paper body ever could. She wanted to trust him...trust him with her heart.

But she couldn't. Not again, never again.

So why couldn't she tell her body that? Well, it wasn't like she was really leaning in, but the fact that she wasn't moving away was probably encouraging him.

He'd pulled down his scarf with one hand and then used it to balance himself as he leaned closer to her, his eyes, and hers, were slowly closing so that they were only half opened.

Their lips touched just enough that she could feel it, and then he pulled away, as if suddenly realizing what he had just been doing. "S-s-sorry, I, I forgot myself. Please forgive me I, I was...I don't know, I," He spluttered. Raven saw his cheeks were flushed, as her cheeks were flushed, just before he pulled his scarf back up over his mouth and nose. He was avoiding looking at her, and wasn't even on the bed anymore.

"Er...yeah, well, it's not like I...uh...resisted..." She said, trying to make him feel better, but now her face was completely red.

"Um, tomorrow...er...somewhere else maybe..." He said, facing her, but still not looking at her.

"O-okay. Yeah..." She said. They both mumbled a 'later' and Rorek quickly vacated her room.

It had been nothing like Malchior's relentless invasion of her mouth, not hardly. It was gentle, almost not even there. But the fact that they had been that close...A shiver ran down Raven's spin as she hugged her pillow, biting her lip as she suppressed the rising emotion. He hardly touched her at all, all he had done was held her hand and barely grazed her lips with his own. He'd been so...gentle.

No, she couldn't, she _couldn't_. Raven got up off her bed and slapped her face a bit to straighten it out. What was she thinking?! It was dangerous letting her emotions get the better of her like that! She couldn't let it happen again. She checked the time and deduced that, if she took long enough, she could shower and get ready to go on to work.

* * *

"Hey," Raven looked up from her book and put it away so she could take care of the customer. "I'd like to—whoa." The guy's eyes widened when she looked at his face. Raven ignored it and took the item he wanted to buy.

"$4.75 is your total." She told him in her usual monotone. She put the book in a sack and waited for his money. She waited and he just stared at her, Raven frowned. "Ahem." She pointed to the electronic numbers on the total screen next to the computer.

"Oh! Uh, right..." He fumbled for his wallet and gave her a ten.

"$5.25 is your change, enjoy your book." She told him, holding out the sack.

"Uh...yeah..." He took it, "Hey, what's your name?" He asked her.

"Raven, why?" She questioned.

"Raven, I like that. Hey, why don't you give me a call sometime?" He asked, pulling out an already prepared slip of paper. "Ask for Terry." He said as she took it. "See ya."

Raven leered at the number and looked around. "Hey, Elsa?" She called. The girl was there in a moment, looking eager.

"It was the guy who just bought something, right? He's cute, what do you want me to do to him?" Elsa asked, taking the number.

"He says to ask for Terry when you call, and be creative. Just don't mention me in any way shape or form." She answered, picking up her book again.

It was a regular occurrence, having boys give her their number (Mostly because she refused to give them _hers_), or try and hit on her right at the desk. And this was the regular solution, Elsa. She was a happy, boy crazy goth who was excelled in the art of 'psyche' as she called it, because she loved to play mental games with people. Some, she reported, had actually thought they were going insane. She could do creepy, but only over the phone and in the darkness, and not for several hours a day constantly. She also had many different evil laughs that she had perfected, some, of which, actually sounded inhuman. It was obvious how she had gotten the job, but also apparent at why her employer wasn't exactly happy with her image. She only called a number once to avoid being sued or accused of harassment, so every new number she got from Raven was a special treat.

"Whoa, check, it, out." Elsa whispered. Raven wanted to roll her eyes, but she looked up anyways. And there was Rorek, browsing through the spell book aisle, fully armored, and getting a lot of female attention. In fact it looked like a girl from one of the café tables had been dared by her friends to go up and talk to him. Raven couldn't keep the smirk off her face as she watched the girl try and get his attention. "I wonder who he is." Else said, looking like she had been hit by one of Cupid's arrows.

"Why don't you just go up and ask him?" Raven asked, going back to her book.

"Why don't _you_?" Raven raised an eyebrow at her co-worker. "Oh come on Raven, you've turned down every single hot guy who's had the courage to come up and flirt with you, are you looking for a specific _type_? Because he looks like just about anyone's type." Elsa jerked her thumb towards Rorek, who was indeed engaging in conversation with the girl, and looking a little uncomfortable too. Poor guy, he was too polite to just say no.

"Elsa, some girls can't go a single night without thinking about guys, while others would prefer to focus their energy on other things." Raven said. Suddenly it seemed Rorek saw her out of the corner of his eye and looked at the counter towards her.

"Omigosh, he's looking this way! Quick, is my hair okay? What about my makeup!?" Elsa exclaimed.

"You look _fine_." Raven sighed, giving Rorek a slight wave of her hand (without Elsa seeing of course). He bid the girl (who looked extremely put out) a swift goodbye and hurried over to the counter, a book under his arm.

"D&$& it, why couldn't I be manning the register today." Elsa whispered, apparently thinking he was coming over to buy the book.

"Raven! There you are, I've been looking for you." He said when he got there. Elsa looked thunderstruck.

Raven smirked at the book under his arm, "Hn, sure you have."

"Ah, well, heheh. I might have been a little preoccupied by these books. The spells I've skimmed are fairly week and easily deflected, but new to me all the same." He said.

"You think they'd sell the real treasures to the public? Even if most people can't use them, they're still quite valuable." She said.

"I suppose you're right." He said.

"Raven, Raven!" Elsa hissed in her ear, jabbing her arm quite painfully.

"Oh, Rorek this is my co-worker Elsa, Elsa this is Rorek." Raven introduced. Elsa emerged into Rorek's view with her most seductive smile plastered on her face.

Which wasn't going to work well on Rorek. "A pleasure, Lady Elsa." He said, nodding his head in a slight bow.

"The pleasure's all mine." Elsa said in her deep voice. Raven had to look away in order to keep them from seeing her expression.

"So did Starfire show you where I work?" Raven asked.

"Well, yes, considering you forgot I asked to come with you today." He answered.

"Oh yeah, I did forget about that. Sorry, my mind was a little preoccupied." Raven said, though neither her face, nor voice, betrayed any hidden meaning.

Still, Rorek wasn't stupid. "Ahem, well, I'll just let you work then." He said. He was blushing under that scarf, she knew it. And only with extreme will power was she able to keep her blush down as well.

"Alright, out with it, Raven!" Elsa exclaimed when Rorek was once again out of earshot, "Where have you been hiding him, in your closet?!" She demanded.

"No, in my sock drawer." Raven said, going back to her book.

"Ha, ha, ha." Elsa sighed in frustration. "So, is _he_ your boyfriend?" She asked.

"Elsa, I prefer to use my time and energy focusing on things more important than boys." Raven told her frankly.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever, so are you two steady?" She asked again.

"We are not going out if that's what you mean." Raven answered.

"Okay, alright, we'll play it your way, do you _like _him?" She questioned.

"As a friend." She answered.

Elsa paused a moment, looking extremely irritated, "Raven, I'm about to scream at you, I really am. Superhero or no, you cannot have a good comic book, or movie, without some sort of romantic interest. Robin and Starfire would make a good couple, so he's out of the picture. I can _not_ see you with Cyborg at _all_, and Beast Boy is just _not_ your type. _He_ is the best and _only_ candidate for your love life." She said.

"Tell me, Elsa, do people sit at home and play match making games between us all? Or is it just you?" Raven asked with a slight vein pop. Who was _she_ to decide that the other guys weren't compatible with her? Not that she had any romantic interests in them whatsoever, but still. It was the principal of the matter.

Elsa backed off at the tone of her voice and decided to occupy herself with the shelves and displays.

* * *

"So, how much money did you get?" Robin asked. Raven handed him her paycheck and his eyes went wide, "Whoa, this is a...book store, right?" He asked.

"More like a goth shop, it has a café and some witchcraft stuff in it. Sometimes there are items they've found and appraised that are very valuable and sell for a lot, so it's a pretty wealthy store." She answered him.

"I see. Er..." He looked over at the couch where Rorek was currently playing a video game with BB and Cyborg, and winning. It was Friday night, so everyone was staying up late tonight. "So, anything...uh, suspicious?" He asked, jerking his thumb towards the white head of hair that was Rorek.

"Not, really. No." She answered with consideration. "What do you think?" She asked.

"I think you should probably stay on guard, just for a little while longer." Robin said.

"DANG IT! HOW ARE YOU DO'N THAT MAN?!" Cyborg suddenly yelled. Raven and Robin looked over to see Rorek's car had beaten the other two, by quite a bit.

"I suppose it must come naturally, though I have only recently learned the ways of these 'controllers'." Rorek answered good-naturedly.

"Beast Boy and Cyborg seem to like him well enough." Raven said with a slight smirk.

"They like anyone who's good at video games." Robin responded.

* * *

**This was bad, this was very bad. How could she have miscalculated this?! Wasn't the potion suppose to give her dreamless sleep? Raven leered around the dark expanse, she knew Malchior was here, where else could he be? He was there, watching her, laughing at her, she knew it. _Come on, wake up!_ She told herself, trying to open up her eyes in the real world, it wasn't working very well.**

**Something appeared to move, instantly Raven crouched, her hands ready with a spell if she saw any color of Malchior's. But that wasn't it, the movement she had seen wasn't movement at all, but a change in surrounding. As the darkness seemed to give way to solid walls and ground, Raven found herself in a luxurious bedchamber of medieval design. Which did _not_ bode well.**

**It was dark still, the walls seemed to have been made from ebony, the only light source was many candles decorating the interior. Raven did _not_ particularly like the fact that she was standing right in front of a two-person couch called a love seat, nor that her costume had suddenly become a black, low-cut, form fitting dress of regal design. He was toying with her, she knew it, and if his sole intention was to tick her off, he was doing a professional job of it. Unfortunately she had the feeling that he had more on his mind than taunting her.**

"**Show yourself Malchior." Raven said, facing the room with her back to the fireplace. She had a spell ready and waiting for him to rear his despicable face.**

"**Miss me, Love?" A pair of powerful arms grabbed her wrists from behind and held them as they wrapped themselves around her form, practically sapping her of the magic she had prepared. Malchior pressed her back against his chest as he bent down, his lips finding her exposed neck.**

"**Get your hands off me!" She hissed, her eyes glowed white and she tried to jerk her hands out of his grip while turning at the same time, hoping to dig her shoulder and elbow into his chest. Which was forebodingly possible considering he wasn't wearing his chest plate.**

**He let her go, he _let_ her go, causing her to stumble as she sped to get as far away from him as she could without going anywhere _near_ the bed. He smirked at her, his eyes dancing with amusement. "You tried to escape me with a dreamless potion, didn't you?" He asked. Raven glared at him fiercely, but it only seemed to make him laugh. "Sweet Raven, even you should have realized that this is more than a mere dream. I have pulled your mind into the pages of my book, and here, _I_ control all." He said.**

"**Azrath, Metriom, Zyn—" She began, summoning up her spell again, but the next instant he was there. He grabbed her and spun her around, holding her, once again, in a bent over position.**

**Malchior nuzzled her neck, and then whispered into her ear, "You still don't get it, do you? This is my world, _I_ make the rules here. Your magic is useless, Raven, and so is your struggling. So why don't you just give it up and surrender yourself to me? Hm? Things will go so much easier for the both of us if you did."**

"**Never!" She hissed. She brought her fist up and struck his face. It didn't do much, her hand felt like she'd just punched a statue, but his grip was released enough that she could slip through his arms and fly away from him. "Azrath, Metriom, Zynthos!" She exclaimed, using the time she had stolen for the spell. The fire in the fireplace turned black and a beam of it shot at Malchior, who dodged just in time to avoid it.**

**  
Malchior shot at her, but she was wise to this trick by now, she flew to the side to avoid him and summoned a charge of black lightning to attack him. He dodged it again, but before he had time to fly after her she shot another beam at him. She hit him, causing him to get knocked out of the air and landing in a rather painful position on the love seat. He got up and faced her.**

**She wished with all her heart that he had been glaring at her instead.**

**The look on his face wasn't frustrated or angry, quite the contrary, it was a look of lecherous enjoyment and lust. It made her want to throw up.**

**He came after her again, and she dodged, but he had also grown wise to her tricks and anticipated which way she would try to escape. He wrapped his arms around her waist, practically snatching her out of he air, and pulled her to the floor, face first, and in a position where it was hard to struggle.**

"**My Sweet Raven, I really do love you, and I want to be with you. I know you still love me, you can't just let go of what once was, so why do you continue to fight me?" He whispered.**

"**How do you expect me to believe that lie?!" She shouted, turning her head so that she could glare angrily at him if nothing else. "Do you remember what conspired when you were released?! I do, I remember all of it. 'Oh dear, you're not going to cry again are you? This is the truth, accept it. I got what I wanted, and I don't need you anymore.' You had planed on the dark magic you taught me to kill me off didn't you?! And when it didn't you decided to attack me." She hissed.**

"**Oh Raven, you can be so gullible at times." He said caressing her cheek. She jerked her face out of his hand, that much she could do. "I was only trying to scare you a bit. I made sure you would be able to handle the dark magic spells before I taught them to you. You are a very powerful sorceress, though I didn't expect you to be able to use that curse so efficiently." He ran his hand through her hair and placed a kiss on her neck.**

"**Liar," She hissed, "All you want from me is to be free! Well I'm not going to, so just give it up!" She told him.**

"**Raven," The pressure against her back was released just enough for Malchior to turn her around and face him, "If I wanted you to free me, do you really think I would be making such advances upon you? I know how you operate, you like things to be gradual and smooth. The only reason I stole your heart so swiftly was because you were desperate for someone like you, and I am like you Raven. Only a dragon in human skin. No, all I want from you now is _you_." He bent down and, though she tried to get away, captured her lips with his, kissing her fiercely, hungrily.**

**She pushed against him, fighting to get away. Biting down on his tongue, his lip, anything to hurt him, get him away from her. She didn't want to believe it, it couldn't be real, he didn't love her! So why was there so much emotion in his kiss? It wasn't real, it couldn't be real.**

**She gasped when he finally stopped mashing his lips to hers, but then he started kissing and licking her chin, on down her neck and collarbone. "Even if you did love me, what makes you so sure I still love you back?!" She demanded, trying to get him to stop any way she could.**

"**You can keep on telling yourself that I'm lying, and you can tell yourself that you don't love me and never did, but the fact remains that you can't forget about it, you can't release my presence from your heart." He said, nuzzling her neck.**

"**I don't love you! I hate you! So get off of me or I swear I will take your book and rip it to pieces!" She declared.**

**Malchior laughed, he laughed at her! "You couldn't, and you wouldn't. Face it, Raven, you still love me." He said. His breath tickled her ear.**

**Something was beginning to well up inside of her, something dangerous and familiar, she couldn't control it, her wall was beginning to crumble around her. "No! I don't love you! And I never will again!!! I hate you and I love Rorek!" She blurted. Red fire was beginning to cloud her vision as it raged inside of her.**

**Malchior stopped, was he angry? She could hardly tell, she was still struggling with all her might to get him off her. "Oh you do, do you?" He hissed in a voice she had never heard before. He grabbed her in his arms, and the next moment was laying down on top of her again, only this time on something soft. The bed?**

**Her ears were ringing, she couldn't understand what he was saying, or what he was doing. All she knew was that she was continuing to struggle, and the fire in her eyes was nearly blinding her.**

**Then something snapped, her ears stopped ringing, her eyes stopped burning, the fire was inside of her, flowing through her veins. She could see clearly, her body felt infused with more strength than she had ever known. Malchior was yelling at her angrily, shaking her as if to force her to listen to him. But his words didn't matter, she didn't care what he said, all she wanted was...his blood.**

**He stopped yelling when she grabbed him, his face twisted in surprise when she rearranged their positions so that _she_ was on top of _him_. She pulled down his collar to expose his neck and instantly sank her teeth into it. Now the rolls were reversed, only she had him bound, sewing a spell into his blood while she drank it. He wanted to struggle, to cry out in pain, but he was paralyzed.**

"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!" She screamed, she couldn't help it, it had been too much, far too much. Thankfully she had screamed into her pillows, but soon was on the floor, spitting out blood, coughing and reeling as she threw up on her own floor.

"Raven?! RAVEN!" Rorek's fist pounded on her door, "Are you alright? Raven can you hear me?" He called.

She couldn't answer, if she spoke her voice would betray too much. So she stood there, shaking, staring at the blood she had thrown up. Rorek phased through the door and ran to her. "Raven? Raven what's wrong? I heard you scream and..." He had knelt down beside her, and she threw her arms around him, not caring what he might think. She didn't cry, she couldn't cry, she just clung to him like an anchor, shaking. And he held her, shielding her in his arms so that she might be safe.

It was a while before she could calm herself down, before she had regained control over herself. She raised herself a bit to face him. Rorek kissed her on the forehead like a child, and that was when she saw it.

He was bleeding, from two holes in his neck.

* * *

A/N: MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! CLIFHANGER!!!! BASK IN MY EVILNESS PUNY MORTALS!

Ahem, anyway, that was probably worthy of a pg-13 rating, dontcha think? Well, maybe, maybe not. But I'm gonna keep the rating sos not to invoke the wrath of yonder rate-watchers on Besides, (Checks rough draft) there seems to be a few more, ahem, questionably kid-safe stuff coming up in later chapters. And no, I don't mean risqué type stuff, I mean gore and violent type stuff. But I'll stop right there, don't wanna give anything away!

PS: (Clears throat) This dragon spirit would like it to be known to a one, (looks at clipboard) Dr. Evens, that she has no intention, and never did, of taking over the world. She would also like it to be known that she is too hot and sexy to be slain, _again_. She'd also like him to know that the last immortal to slay her, and the one before that, and the one before that, were all smited into oblivion, which is not a very pleasant place to stay for eternity, by the dragon god Ryuujin-sama. She would like it to be known, also, to anyone _else_ with the intention of slaying her, that Ryuujin-sama is very protective of his cute little dragon and will only place her spirit in _another_ teenage girl. If this happens, then she will no longer have her files on Spellbinder and will not be able to write more upon it. Which will be a very unhappy thing as she has left it at a cliffhanger. Thank you. So thpthpthpthpthpthp :P!!!


	9. Secerets Revealed

A/N: (Stares at her new silver nail polish) Ooooo, shiny.... Uh, ahem, anyway. That last batch of reviews was _pathetic_ yo! There seems to be a pattern here, you guys tend to not review when I have a cliffhanger. (Leers) And so, I got back at yall. See I _could_ have had this chapter out yesterday, but since the amount of reviews was so minute, I delayed it until I had two chapters finished. SEE?! TOLD YA I WAS EVIL!!! Okay not really, but I can act pretty good can't I?

* * *

"I have lied to you, Raven, but for reasons you have also lied to me as well. If you let me explain before you judge me, I will do the same for you." Raven bit her bottom lip, it sounded fair, which was the problem. She wanted him to explain himself, but she didn't want to tell _him_ anything. Still, it was only fair. She nodded and let him continue.

"The enchanted book use to by a diary of mine, but what you might have read of it and what was originally put down is probably vastly different. To begin with, I myself am what is called a Crystal Dragon, that is a dragon who has cleansed himself of a frightful demonic nature that they were born with. Yes, many dragons are rather 'evil', but the concept of the Chinese Yin-Yang holds true for us as well as for humans. In this case, my darkness was chocking my light. So I cleansed myself, unfortunately, this resulted in a separation of my being into two persons. Rorek and Malchior." He explained. Raven closed her eyes for a moment, taking in what she had just heard, and then opened them. She bid him to go on.

"My darkness and I wedged a constant war, one in which I was continuously bettering myself to win, and he was also doing the same. Most of our battles resulted in standstills, draws, or half-wins, but never victory. I was haunted by the demon my darkness had become, a fierce and feared dragon, claming a mighty castle for his own and becoming more powerful as I became more powerful. Eventually I realized that we would never be able to surpass each other, when one gained more power, so did the other. So I began studying to find a different way. And then I finally discovered a spell that would seal Malchior away, for good I had hoped.

"I trapped him in my book, but changed the pages least anyone should find it. It was, after all, my diary. I'm sure you can understand the things I didn't want anyone else to realize about me, even if I was gone by the time they found it.

"I didn't seal the book away with an impossible spell, I kept it with me. You see, it _can't_ be destroyed, and even if it could, I would be killed along with it. Though I tried to completely separate myself from Malchior, I was never wholly able to purify myself of the dot of darkness in my white yin-yang. That's why I found your form of meditation so interesting, and also why I began admiring you. You are able to do something that I have spent my whole life trying to accomplish." He told her.

Raven shook her head, "No, you're wrong. Just because I told you the goal of that meditation, doesn't mean I have reached it. But go on." She told him.

"Right. Anyway, I did, in fact, find a seer. And she told me that one day Malchior would once again rise, and that I would have to preserve my power to defeat him. But I didn't do it by taking a page from the book, instead I placed an old spell on the book as well as the jewel I sealed myself in. I wanted to try and find a way of destroying us both. You see, even though I would die if the book was destroyed, he would not if I was. But if he were brought to life it wouldn't matter who died, the other would live. I'm not sure why it is that way, but I think the book itself has a more direct bond with my being because it use to be my diary." He explained. "I came here with the sole intention of reclaiming the book, but then..." His face went a little red and he looked back at her. He then took her hands into his own, "Raven, please don't hate me, I would have told you but I was...afraid." He said.

Raven blinked, "Afraid?" She questioned.

"Of what you would think of me, of how you would react when I told you the truth. You were already rather hostile towards me, and with good reason, but when I felt we were friends I...just didn't want you to know that about me. What do you think of me now, Raven?" He asked.

What did _she_ think of _him_? That was a good question, but still a question she could hardly believe _he_ was asking _her_. Raven averted her eyes, he thought he had an unfavorable origin, and past, but it was nothing, _nothing_ compared to her own. She didn't hate him, quite the contrary, now she felt they might even have something more in common. Accept, her demons were still there.

Rorek seemed to think she had given him the answer with her bowed head and removed his hands, "Raven, I...I know I'm not worthy of you, but I just—"

"Don't, don't you _dare_ pity yourself over that. So you're a dragon, big deal." She then looked up at his eyes and gave him a severe look, "Yeah, you have a lot to be ashamed about. You tried to rid yourself of your darkness, you spent your life fighting against it so that you could be a pure being. So don't you _dare_ say you're not worthy of _anything_, because if you do, then I _will_ hate you. You think you're the only one with a past to be ashamed of? With something they hate about themselves? Try the entire population of earth. Very few people have lead clean lives. You have nothing, _nothing_ to be ashamed of. Your darkness becoming another being probably couldn't have been helped, and it isn't your fault." She told him.

"But I've lied to you and—"

"That doesn't mean a thing. I have lied to you, we all have. Everyone lies to cover up what they don't want to be discovered." She told him.

There was a pause there, when they just looked at each other for a minute, and then Rorek couldn't help himself, he wrapped his arms around her and pressed his lips to hers.

It was gentle, but much deeper and longer than their first 'kiss', and this time she kissed him back. His lips were warm and soft, very gentle and, once again, completely the opposite of Malchior's. He held her closely, but he wasn't forcing her against him. He caressed her cheek, but only because she let him. He didn't push his tongue into her mouth, he didn't mash his lips onto hers, and all she could feel from him was love. No lust or hunger, just a gentle warmth.

"My mother was a woman named Arella, she was used by a satanic cult in dark, evil rituals until she was offered up as a sacrifice to a demon lord named, Trigon." Raven began.

"Trigon?!" Rorek exclaimed, recognition flashing in his eyes, which was going to make this that much harder to say. "How—"

"Just, let me finish." She told him. He bit his lip and nodded. She then closed her eyes so she wouldn't see his face and took in a deep breath. "But instead of devouring her, Trigon took her as his bride and raped her." She heard a sharp intake of breath and held up her hand to stop him from saying anything. "She fled to a place called Azarath, where demonic children are cared for and raised. There I grew up, and I was taught how to suppress my emotions, for they are dangerous to others, and to myself. If I ever completely loose control, Trigon will be resurrected and I will become the demon I have spent all of my life fighting. So, you see? We both have things we are ashamed of." She told him, finally opening her eyes.

His expression was a mixture of surprise, and admiration. "I think, I understand you much better now, Raven. Your immense power, and your dark exterior...Is there any way to free yourself?" He asked.

"I have to overcome my father's influence, that's what my meditation is for. As of yet I have been unable to completely break free...though once I..." She trailed off and looked down and shook her head.

"What?"

"It's nothing. But now, I think you have a little more explaining to do." She said, motioning to the bandage on his neck.

Rorek looked down, "I was...hoping they weren't real, hoping it was just my...well...that I was...attracted, to you, that caused the first dream. And then the second, I really did hear you screaming in my mind that time, I dreamed that _I_ was the one who...um..."

"Yeah." She finished.

"But then, when I went to check on you...I was hoping I could poke my head through your door and find you fast asleep in your room, instead I saw you walking back to your room from the bathroom. I had hoped it was just a coincidence. But then tonight..." his hands turned to fists, "I, I'm sorry, I couldn't do anything! He brought me there, to watch him, to taunt me, to torment me. He made me watch you through his own eyes, and I..." He then swallowed hard. "When I woke up, the pain in my neck hadn't left, I found blood there. I was praying, wishing with all my might that it had all been Malchior's doing, that it wasn't really you in those dreams, just an illusion. But then I heard your muffled scream. It wasn't enough that it woke the others, obviously, but it was enough that I could hear it in the stillness."

It was a very uncomfortable situation, for both of them, but it seemed Rorek was taking this much harder than she initially was. Raven was slightly encouraged by this, so she put her hands on his. "It's my turn again." She said. He looked up and she gave him a gentle kiss before she 't get free from the book on his own, I don't think he ever could have. He needed someone else, someone with a magical understanding and enough power to use the counter curse. At first he was merely another story that I was reading, a story about a wizard called Malchior of Nall who faced and defeated the dread dragon Rorek. And then he talked to me...At the time, I wasn't as close to the other titans as I like to think I am now. I felt like I was completely alone, that no one understood me or really cared. I was easy pray for Malchior, he used my loneliness against me, he taught me more than I could have ever hoped to learn. He tricked me, he played off my feelings, using my desperation as a way to make me think I loved him, and also making me think he loved me back. Then I released him and realized, too late, that it was Malchior who had been the dreaded dragon in the story, and that he had changed the names. I used the spell I had learned by reading the book itself and was able to seal him back. After that I put him, and all the books of magic he had filled my room with, into a secret hiding place where I kept all the things I had, but wished I didn't."

"So...that's why...I wasn't sure how Malchior had broken the spell, I figured he might have been able to gather up and store enough power to break free." Rorek said, a considering look on his face.

"Rorek, I...when I first saw you...well...that's the reason I was so...so hostile towards you. Malchior...broke me, and you looked so much like, and acted so much like the person he had pretended to be...I almost couldn't handle it." She told him.

"I knew." He said.

"What?" 

"When I saw you the first time, I saw the recognition in your eyes, I knew you had seen Malchior in my image, but at the time I wasn't sure what it had meant." He explained. She nodded and let out a deep breath. There was a pause for a bit, and then, "So, what now?" He asked.

"Hm?"

"Do we tell the others? Or do we try to handle this on our own? I think you're safe from Malchior for a while, you scared him more than me, and I was the one who suffered the injury." He said with a lighthearted voice.

"I think we should probably tell the others, if only so we'll have some support if things go awry. I've learned the hard way that it isn't a good idea to keep these kinds of things secret for a long time." She answered.

"How do you think they'll take it?" he asked her.

"If I know them..."

* * *

"Dude! You mean we got an actual dragon on our side?!" BB exclaimed.

"SAWEEEEEEEET!" Cyborg Cheered.

"I am overjoyed to have the honor of meeting you! On my home planet we were told stories of the Crystal Dragons and how they are such wise and honorable creatures!" Starfire exclaimed.

It seemed the only one who wasn't particularly excited about this new information was Robin, for obvious reasons of course. "Why didn't you tell us sooner?" Robin asked.

"I didn't know if I could trust you with such information. And would you have trusted me if you knew the whole truth?" Rorek replied.

"No, not at first. Of course I didn't anyway. I don't trust anyone right off the bat." He said.

"I would expect nothing less." Rorek said with a friendly smile.

"So the Malchior is the incarnation of that darkness which you cleansed yourself of to become the Crystal Dragon?" Starfire repeated.

"Yes, I am ashamed to say. Most Crystal Dragons have their darkness trapped within a black jewel, but I suppose they did not have so much evil to rid themselves of." Rorek sighed.

"So...these dreams you and Raven have been having with Malchior, what are they like?" Robin asked.

"We're not discussing it." Raven said with a very creepy air.

"O-kay. Anything particular we might be able to go by though?" Robin asked.

"I had recently decided to put a spell on the chest I had put his book in, that was how, he claims, he was able to connect to my mind. He also claims that I dream inside of the pages of his book. But that's about it." Raven answered.

"Any chance _he_ might be the one helping Bale-whats-his-face?" Asked Beast Boy.

"No, while in the book he can barely cast any magic unless magic is given to him." Rorek answered. "It would be impossible for him to even communicate with Balegor, much less help him cast old-magic spells."

"Darn."

"So how many major problems does that make?" Cyborg asked.

"We have Slade, Balegor, Balegor's Master, and now Malchior." Starfire counted.

"Actually, he's only a problem for Rorek and I." Raven pointed out.

"Um, yeah, you know? I'm still confused, how does the connection between Rorek and Malchior explain why Rorek has that bandage on his neck?" Beast Boy asked.

"I bit him." Raven answered. Everyone's eyes widened.

"Uh, what?" BB spoke.

"I almost lost control over my emotions...you _do_ remember that I am half demon, right?" She asked.

"Yeah, you're half demon, not half vampire!" He exclaimed.

"Demons also thrive on the blood of other beings, though unlike vampires, not only can they drink the blood of creatures that are not human, but they don't have to drink to survive." Raven explained. "There is a difference, but the fangs are still there." She told them.

"Really?" BB asked, he looked closely at her mouth, waiting for her to open it again.

"I don't have them now, idiot. I'm in control." She grumbled.

"Hey, Rorek? Could I have a word?" Robin asked.

"Of course." Rorek answered, getting up to follow him into the next room.

Robin shut the door and turned to Rorek, "I just want to verify a few things. First off, what do you know about the relation Raven had with Malchior?" He asked.

"Most of it, I think. Malchior pretended to be me and used Raven's troubles against her to free himself. I don't think we need to go into detail about it though." Rorek answered, his expression grim.

"So, what is your relationship, and intentions, with Raven now? How do you feel about her?" He questioned.

Rorek looked up, slightly taken aback. "That's a...rather personal question, Robin."

"Well, this is a rather personal situation. Do you know what Raven was like the first week after Malchior's betrayal? She was little more than a walking corpse. At first it seemed she would get over it, and then it became apparent that it was an act. Do you know what cutting is?" Robin asked.

Rorek shifted a bit, "No, not what you mean I'm sure." He answered.

"It's self-mutilation. It's where you take something sharp and you inflict injury upon yourself." Rorek looked shocked, and he took a step back. "If Starfire hadn't caught her doing it, she might not have stopped. You don't believe me? Just look at her arms, I'm pretty sure the scars have yet to heal completely. But we were there for her, we all did our best to make her feel wanted, even needed. We wanted to make sure she knew she belonged, and that she had people who cared about her no matter how many walls she put up around herself. It worked, but just barely. But if it happens again, with you, I don't think anything will work."

"Please, you must realize that I would _never_ do anything to harm her." Rorek defended.

"Yes, well, you've proven that you can lie in spite of your supposed 'purity'." Robin came back. "I'm not going to interfere, this is Raven's business, and yours. And if she wants to trust you like she had trusted Malchior, that's her decision, I won't get in the way. But know this, if I so much as find a shred of evidence against you, I don't care how much magic or power you have, you _will_ pay for it. Are we clear on that?"

Rorek merely nodded his acknowledgment, looking shaken at the new information.

* * *

"Azrath, Metriom, Zynthos!" Raven cried, sending the devastating beam of black lightening at the newest member of H.I.V.E., Zacroma.

"Eeeeek!" She shrieked, just barely dodging in time, her choppy blond hair standing on end. "You can play fair or not play at all!" Her annoyingly high voice taunted. She shot a blue beam of light from the gem imbedded into her right palm. It took the form of an anvil and flew at Raven. She stopped it just in time with her own magic, but then it melted away into nothing again.

"Shall we dance?" Zacroma asked the large emerald snake that was Beast Boy. She spun around him swiftly, causing BB to get dizzy, and then she pulled on the metal chain she had wrapped around him and flung him over the dock into the water.

"I would." Robin said, launching at her from behind, hoping to grab her around the waist.

"Uh, uh, uh, _you_ weren't invited!" She taunted, jumping gracefully out of his grasp, causing him to fall to the ground. She then landed on top of him, as if to rub it in, and then flew back up into the air, where she met Starfire.

"You are being a very bad girl. If you do not wish to be hurt you must give yourself up now!" Starfire said, her hands and eyes glowing emerald with her power.

Zacroma rolled her eyes, "Oh dear! I am so very sorry! I have now seen the error of my ways and will go freely with you. Please teach me how to be a goody goody like you so that I might kiss the boots of those nice men called police." She said, her voice cloyingly sweet. She then shot another beam of blue light, which turned into a blob of molten hot iron. Starfire dodged it, but was suddenly hit by a metal door and was falling into the water.

Beast Boy turned into a peterodactil and flew Cyborg up into the air at her. The android shot plasma blasts at her, one of which hit and knocked her out of the air. "Oh yeah! Hows that, ya loony?!" He cheered.

"It hurt!" She cried back, now flying towards him.

"Uh oh." He grimaced, Beast Boy wasn't fast enough to escape that speed so he just kept shooting, and she kept dodging.

Zacroma almost had her hands on Cyborg's metallic body parts, but before she could touch it she found herself in a bubble of solid light. "Hey! This isn't fair!!!" She yelled, hitting her prison frantically.

"Fair or no, it is just." Rorek told her. Zacroma formed a sword and sliced through the barrier, destroying it.

"Not very strong was it?" Raven asked.

"Not against a sword no." He answered, dodging to the right of her weapon.

"You may be cute, but I have a job to do!" She said.

"Azrath, Metriom, Zynthos!" Raven chanted. The sword became engulfed in her black energy and was taken from her hands.

"Big fat hairy deal! I can just make anoth—hey!" Zacroma exclaimed as Rorek grabbed her right hand and wound a white spell around it. But she flung her other hand at him and pressed it onto his chestplate. Rorek cried out in pain as the armor began to melt _onto_ him.

"In the water!" Raven exclaimed. She grabbed his leg and flung him down into the lake, hopefully he'd be able to get out. She then turned white flashing eyes onto Zacroma, who was trying to take Rorek's spell off like it was a bandage. "Azrath, Metriom, Zynthos!" She cried, shooting Zacroma with a binding spell of her own.

"Mystics never play fair!!!" She cried as she plummeted to the ground, where Beast Boy caught her in his claws and gave her a safe landing.

Raven dove for the area where she had thrown Rorek, and didn't stop, even when she hit the water, until she found him again.

* * *

"Ah!" Rorek exclaimed, flinching at the touch of the burn salve. "Is it suppose to hurt like this?" He asked, breathlessly.

"We might have to take him to the hospital, those burns look second degree." Robin said as Beast Boy tried to apply another handful onto his bare back, and failing.

Rorek grunted out his pain, but let Beast Boy try to smooth it. Suddenly he let out a yelp and jumped up. "Sorry! Sorry! It's these nails, I accidentally scratched it!" Beast Boy exclaimed.

"Perhaps I should seek a healer instead." Rorek heaved. "Or Lady Raven could heal it, I believe." He said.

"Actually, I can only heal small cuts and bruises. The first time I had to heal you up it was only a large collection of small cuts and bruises that I had to mend. If that's a second degree burn, all I can do is make sure it doesn't infect and help it a little." Raven answered, coming into the room with a large bundle of bandages in her arms. Starfire followed her with more chemicals that had "burn relief" or "heals burns" on the labels.

"Uh, Star? That's drain cleaner, it _causes_ burns if applied to skin." Beast Boy pointed out when Starfire offered him one of her many bottles.

"Oh! Oops. Perhaps these others might help at least." Starfire said.

Cyborg then came into the room with his pathetic attempt at mending the remains of Rorek's armor. "Sorry, man, I think it's down for the count." He said.

"He means he can't fix it." Raven translated, "Now sit down," She ordered.

"So, what's the healing rate of dragons?" Robin asked.

"Swift, actually. If something doesn't kill us within five minutes we'll heal back up within time." Rorek said, doing as Raven told him.

Beast Boy was about to try the salve again, but Raven swiped it. "If you scratch him again it'll do more harm than good." She told him. She then, without thinking, put some of it onto her own hand and started to smooth it out on Rorek's back.

"If it's bad it takes—" He gasped and tensed a bit at Raven's touch, "two months at most. Small wounds will be gone within the day, that is if there aren't so many." He said, forcing himself to relax.

"What about those burns?" Robin asked him.

"I'm a dragon, my first element is fire. They will hurt very much for a while, but I expect they'll heal completely within two to three weeks. And that's including the time it'll take for the scares to disappear." He explained.

"You know what though, you don't look all that bad with a ponytail." Cyborg said in an attempt to cheer him up. (They'd needed some way of keeping his long hair away from his back)

"Funny, very funny." He said. Raven finished with the salve and then brought both of her hands to his back, using her healing powers to help mend it.

"Here, do your front while I do this." She said, handing him the salve. He took it and obeyed, flinching as his own hand touched his skin.

"What do you think will happen to the Zacroma?" Asked Starfire.

"Her main talent is the manipulation and production of metal objects, but she can only produce with that gem. So they're going to do a surgery to take it off and then give her some counseling. If it doesn't work they'll drug her and lock her up in a special chamber like all the other super villains." Robin answered.

"Is this good?" Rorek asked, turning around so that Raven could use her powers on his chest.

"Yeah, it means she might get a second chance. And if she doesn't, well, she'll probably escape from prison and be another pain in the butt for us." Beast Boy answered.

"Well, I have some news that might lighten the mood a bit." Robin said. "Seems our funder decided to pay the entire electric bill, the only thing we have to get is our food. And after that everyone can get what's left of their paychecks back. Which is a bit of a bummer because I just got a job of my own." He told them. Both Cyborg and Beast Boy cheered.

"That is wonderful! This means that we can now have our pizza celebration!" Starfire rejoiced.

"Yay! I don't have to work anymore!" Beast Boy exclaimed.

"I thought you liked your job." Raven said as she grabbed a roll of bandage cloth. "Starfire help me with this." She said.

"Oh, I can—" Rorek started.

"Don't move." Raven ordered before he could finish.

"I do like my job, but it's the fact that it's a _job_." Beast Boy answered. Raven rolled her eyes.

"Nothing wrong with a little extra money." Robin said. He didn't say it out loud, but it didn't take an empath like Raven to figure out that he wanted to become as independent from Bruce Wayne as he possibly could.

"Personally, I think I'll keep my job. My co-workers are really coo." Cyborg said.

"So long as it doesn't intervene in our initial job, saving the city, I vote we just keep our jobs, if only to have more individual pocket money." Robin suggested.

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever, can we go out for pizza now?! I'm suffering from withdraw!" Beast Boy exclaimed, holding his tummy.

"You must wait longer, Beast Boy, for Rorek is in no condition to go outside." Starfire said.

"Aw maaaaaaan." Beast Boy melted to the ground in despair.

"It's alright, you can all go on without me." Rorek said.

"But we must not! For it would be our celebration in honor of gaining a new member on the team, and the celebration would not be right if the cause for it were not there as well!" Exclaimed Starfire.

Raven tied off the third roll of bandages at Rorek's shoulder before she let him get up. "No really, I don't mind. Besides, I don't much care for this, pizza, of your time." He told them.

"Whaaaaaaaat?! How can you _not_ like pizza!?" Beast Boy exclaimed.

"Yeah! Everyone likes pizza!" Cyborg agreed.

"Well, I would like it, but I don't think I could ever obtain a taste for those spicy circles and tiny fishes." He answered.

"Dude, you mean you've only had anchovies and pepperoni? That is like the most disgusting thing I have ever heard. That's it, we're not going without him!" Beast Boy declared.

"You have not tried pizza until you've eaten Canadian bacon and mushrooms!" Cyborg exclaimed.

"_Again_?" Raven sighed.

"It's the only thing Cy and I will agree on, and it rules all other pizzas, save maybe for the all vegetables." BB answered.

"Nope, meat lovers is da best yo!" Cyborg refuted.

"Veggi plate!" Beast Boy argued.

"Meat lovers!" Cyborg exclaimed.

"Veggi plate!"

"Meat lovers!"

"There they go again." Raven sighed.

"I'll...just order several kinds." Robin sighed, walking to the telephone. Neither of the other guys heard him as they continued arguing.

"Order?" Rorek looked to Raven for an explanation.

"You can have it prepared and brought to your home, all you have to do is call and ask them for what you want, then you give them your address. Unfortunately, since we're on an island, we have to go and get it, or the price for delivery will be more than the pizza itself." She answered.

"Oh, I see. Well, I suppose that solves our problem then." He said.

"Just don't tell them." Raven said.

"Meat lovers!"

"Veggi plate!"

* * *

A/N: (Gasp!) Rorek doesn't have his armor anymore!!! NOOOO—Oh well, at least we got to see him with his shirt off . lol!

(Reads Dr. Ev_a_ns' review) (And begins to sweat) _Oh crap, he's **that** kind of immortal?!_ (Grins nervously) Eh, heheheheheh, _Why did he have to be a dragon slayer? OF ALL THE JOB APPLICATIONS HE COULD HAVE PICKED FROM!!!_ Er, I wasn't, really planning on taking over the world, seriously! Too polluted for my tastes, and way too many political stuffs to deal with. I'd rather take over...ah, Saturn! Yeah, Saturn! Much nicer atmosphere, and a lot more moons. Really! I'm a good dragon! Look at how cute I am! (Puppy dog eyes) Er, I have a kitten! (Holds up adorable fluffy white kitten) You can't hurt me, because then she'll miss her mommy and there will be no one to give her milk every morning! Er... COME ANYWHERE NEAR ME AND I SCREAM RAPE!!!! (Barricades her doors and hides under her desk) (Sucks thumb)


	10. Echoes

A/N: Anyone ever heard Taproot's song Echoes? Its what inspired me to write the poem the story title is based on.

* * *

Raven awoke the next morning, feeling more refreshed than she had in a long time. She had had a normal dream, no Malchior, and no Rorek, in fact she could hardly remember much of it, something about a white shirt. Oh well, it didn't matter much. It seemed Rorek's assumption was correct, Malchior was afraid of her. For now at least.

She sat up and stretched, afterwards going into her closet to change into her usual garb.

The living room was empty, save for a white tuff of hair just above the couch that belonged to Rorek's ponytail. He seemed to sense her as he looked around the couch at her. "Good morning, Raven." He greeted. Upon closer inspection she saw he was currently reading a book she had lent him.

"Good morning." She said with a still-drowsy voice. "I didn't expect you to be up so early. Been able to alter your schedule well enough?" She asked.

"I actually went to sleep a little earlier than I usually try to, probably my rapid healing rate working against me." He said. "But I woke up a while ago and couldn't get back to sleep."

"Nothing wrong with that." Raven said. She went into the kitchen and poured herself some Raisin Brand. They had gone to the store the other day, so there was plenty of cereal and milk in stock.

"Raven, can I..." Rorek trailed off for a bit, "Can I ask you something?" He asked.

"Go ahead." Raven answered, bringing her cereal to the coffee table so she could eat it beside Rorek. He put his arm gently around her shoulder and, when she had set her bowl down, suddenly pulled her into a tight embrace. Raven's head was resting against the bandages of his chest, her eyes were wide with surprise at the suddenness of it. "Rorek?"

"I...Raven I want you to promise me something. If, if something happens...If I...if I...hurt you, or, or if I get hurt. I don't care what happens to me, but promise me, promise me that you won't...you won't..." His arms tensed up around her, pressing her harder against him. That couldn't be good for his burns, and why was he...what was he so...

"Rorek what...what's wrong? Why are you...?"

"I'm, I'm _scared_, okay? I've never felt this way before, about _anyone_. And it feels so strange, I feel I can tell you anything and you'd understand me, I fell like you're, you're a part of me somehow. If anything happened to you I'd...I'd die. Raven, you're life is worth more than mine, you have friends here, strong, noble friends, very good friends who care a lot about you. And I am just an alien here. Robin...Robin said some things to me and...he's a very good friend, he cares about you a lot, but...those things he said _scared_ me. So I want you to promise, _promise_ that if anything happens, even if it isn't my fault, and especially if it is, you won't dwell on it, you won't let it drag you down, and you won't do any...any _cutting_." He whispered. He was shaking with emotion that was foreign to him, and he didn't know how to deal with it. He wasn't even 'closing his door' to her. He was letting her see how...well, _afraid_ he really was.

Raven didn't know what to say, what to think. There was a lot to take in with that. Rorek had just told her that he loved her, he cared more about her than he did himself, he was scared of her getting hurt, she had a close and strong bond with the other titans, but most of all, he was saying that Robin had _told_ him. Robin had directly gone against her wish that he not say anything and _told_ him.

But at the same time, Robin _did_ have a right to be worried. After all, if she lost control, if what happened with Malchior happened with Rorek, it wouldn't just be her problem, it would be the world's problem. She had to remember that her control over her emotions at this point was more important than her love life. Maybe Robin was just trying to scare Rorek away from her, keep him from hurting her by distancing himself. Well, he'd accomplished one thing, but still, couldn't he have left _out_ the cutting part?

Raven slipped her arms gently around Rorek's waist and hugged him gently. "I promise." She said. And she would, if only for Rorek's sake.

His lips were soft and gentle on her forehead as he kissed her black-red jewel, and then on her lips.

They had one sweet moment to themselves, and then, "We're here at Titan Tower where the apocalypse is being held. What are your thoughts on the subject Cyborg?" Beast Boy's voice caused their eyes to shoot open. They instantly broke apart and found a camera pointed at their faces. _Somehow_ Beast Boy had snuck up behind them and Cyborg had entered the room, though it seemed he hadn't moved an inch since he saw them.

"Personally? I think we should run for our lives." Cyborg said, breaking out of his stupor with the look of fury that was growing on Raven's face.

"Beast Boy, I am going to _mutilate_ your body." She said.

"Uh oh. HAVE MERCY!"

* * *

"Um, did I miss something?" Robin asked. He had walked into the living room and found Beast Boy with many bruises _and_ his limbs practically tied in a knot, and Cyborg trying to find all of his bionical parts that were scattered everywhere while hopping around the room on one foot.

"Robin? Could you help me? This is a very _very_ uncomfortable position." Beast Boy wheezed.

"At least you still _have_ all your body parts!" Cyborg exclaimed, shaking an incomplete leg at Beast Boy. He was currently supporting a few bruises on his human flesh as well.

"What _happened_ here?!" Robin asked, handing Cyborg one of his fingers.

"This is what happens when you anger and embarrass Raven at the same time." Beast Boy wined.

"What did you do, put pink dye in her hair?!" He exclaimed, walking over to Beast Boy to help him out of his impression of the changeling pretzel.

"Uh, something like that." Cyborg said, finding the other part of his leg, _finally_.

"Yeah, if we say anything she'll do us in worse, if that's even possible. OW! Oh, thanks man." BB said, finally being able to sprawl out completely. "I think I'm going to lie here and whimper for a while." He said.

"I'm, just not gonna ask." Robin said. "Hey, Cy? What's this?" he asked, holding up some mechanical part that was completely unrecognizable.

"That would be my spleen." Cyborg answered, taking it.

"Uh, yeah, I don't want to know." Robin said.

* * *

_The echoes of my wordplay_

_Fall back against a barrier of purity_

_The stars I watch, on my back I lay_

_Leave me alone in my enmity_

"How's your job going BB?" Cyborg asked.

"So, so. Okay maybe it's a little fun. My boss, he's really _weird_, but it's a good weird, it's a cool weird. Only, I get a little freaked out when he starts talking non-stop about his paperclip collection, and then he has this obsession with this lady from an old show called Cheers." Beast Boy was saying.

_Spin around, watch the dancers_

_Laugh aloud, search for answers_

_Cradle stars and praise the infant_

_This life they are to live is infinite_

"...And Sir Christopher is such a joy to work with! He is very polite and says the funniest things! But, um...what does it mean to 'get fresh'?" Starfire blabbed to Robin. Raven peeked over the rim of her book, unable to keep from smirking at Robin's expression.

"It means you probably shouldn't spend too much time with him." He answered.

"Oh, well then what does he keep asking me to make and why does it have to be 'out'?" She asked.

"I don't know, but that means make sure he's a few feet away from you at all times." Robin told her. Raven bit her lip to suppress her laugh.

_The echoes of my heartbeat_

_Fall to my ears in warning_

_The life I've lived to this beat_

_Creates a flaw in my dancing_

"You know I'm starting to get the impression that my co-workers are getting chummy with me so they can just slack off all day and let _me_ do all the work. Bunch of wimps. I think I'll call in and tell the boss I'll be late, then see if they did any work while I was gone." Cyborg said.

"Ha! Good one Cy! But why don't you just tell them to do something with your intimidating voice?" Beast Boy asked.

_Hold the rope till your fingers bleed_

_Dangle dangerously off the cliff_

_Caress the rose and pull the weed_

_Release the petals and let them drift_

"So how has your job been going, Robin?" Asked Starfire.

"It's pretty interesting. I got an actual job on a team of other teenagers and some adults who go around and try out equipment to see how good it is. Like obstacle courses and combat robots. Never thought I could get paid to work out, heh. Anyway, our manager is pretty nice, and so are everyone else, but there's this one girl there whose really...I don't know, _weird_ is the best way I can describe her. She is _very_ good at the courses, but has no skill at combat whatsoever, and her personality is just off the wall. An she plays all these pranks, like one time she put vegetable oil in Garry's chair..."

_The echoes of my thoughts_

_Fall to and from a pit of despair_

_Try to untangle all these knots_

Hope they don't become thin air 

"What about your job, Rae?" Beast Boy suddenly asked. Raven looked up and shrugged.

"I like it." She answered. "But my boss, Aron, just Aron, is too obsessed with the image of his store. My co-worker is just a play-goth, she flirts with every guy she deems 'cute' and doesn't even _like_ poetry." She said.

"Elsa, right?" Rorek, who'd previously been listening to everyone else with much interest, asked.

"Yeah." Raven nodded.

"Ah, I remember her. So, that is what 'flirting' is. I wasn't sure." He said, Raven couldn't help but snicker slightly.

"It's okay man, I know how you feel." Beast Boy said with a wizened tone of voice.

"No you don't." Raven said flatly.

"HEY! Are you implying that no girl has ever flirted with me?! I'll have you know I've had millions of girls flirting with me!" He exclaimed.

Raven smirked, "Were they human?" She asked.

"_Yes_!...most of them...some of them...no..." He slumped to the floor in despair.

"...What is a 'sac' and what are you suppose to do in it?" Starfire asked Robin.

"Okay, Star? Just stay as far away from this man as you can, and blast him if he so much as tries to touch you." Robin answered.

"Well, alright, but I—"

BWEEEP BWEEEEP BWEEEEEEP! 

"Who hooo! Another chance to try out the Stink Bomb!" Cyborg exclaimed.

"I cannot believe you two are _still_ playing that." Raven said, shutting her book.

"We're not, we're playing the much cooler, much more stinkier version of Stink Ball. You see, instead of having an actual goal, you just have to make the other person pass out!" Beast Boy answered.

"That's not exactly healthy, but then again, when did you two care about your health?" Raven said.

The location was close enough, so Robin got on his hover/motorcycle, Beast Boy turned into a hawk, while Cyborg flew on his newest 'baby', a hoverboard. The other three flew.

When they got to the location they found a bunch of kids and parents running around in a panic, and being trapped within the square where an outdoor puppet show was being held by a wall of cooling metal. Above the wall, and smirking tauntingly, was the choppy, now red, haired teen in biker clothes called Zacroma.

"Not you again!" Beast Boy exclaimed, landing on the top of a building.

"Miss me?" Zacroma laughed giddily. She then turned and grinned at Raven and Rorek, "Mysties never play fair, so I brought my own! And it seems you've already been introduced too!" She exclaimed, her voice sounded incredibly annoying right now.

Raven dodged the blast of power aimed at her and glared, eye twitching, at the cloaked figure she knew as Balegor. "You don't give up, do you?" She growled.

"Not when I want something as badly as I want you." He said with a seductive voice. Raven thought she would throw up right then and there.

"You will have to go through me first." Rorek said, charging at the other mystic with a bolt of his white lightening. Ready in hand.

Balegor dodged Rorek's attempt and prepared a violet attack of his own. "I hear you had a little accident with your armor!" He laughed. "I wonder how tough you are behind that cloth!" He distracted Rorek with an easily dispelled firebolt and then came up around him, intending to kick him. 

"Forgetting someone?" Raven asked, knocking Balegor out of the air for a moment or two with a blast of her own dark force just before he could administer any sort of blow to Rorek. The two mystics flew beside each other. "Azrath, Metriom, Zynthos!" Raven chanted.

"Animatus, Specula, Aeternitus!" Rorek cried. The black and white forces of magic entangled with one another to engulf their foe, who wasn't able to escape in time.

Balegor fell from the air, leaving a trail of blood that fell with him as he landed on the top of a high building. The two then turned their attention to Zacroma.

She had one of the titans, Beast Boy as he was the only one missing, sealed up in a metal box, Cyborg trying to make an opening by melting it with his lazer. One of his arms, however, was out of commission as it looked partly melted. Currently Robin was using Cyborg's hover board, dodging splatters of molten metal, and Zacroma was dodging destructive disks of emerald light from Starfire.

_Time to try out my new spells._ Raven thought. "Sanguineus Factus Spiritus, Factus Fulmineus!" She chanted, waving her hands about as they began to charge with a different kind of energy. Suddenly a bolt of lightening seemed to erupt from Zacroma herself, turning inward so that all of its destructive force was used on her. She screamed and began to fall to the ground. Her hair spiked out in all directions, some parts burned, but most of it was her skin and clothes that burned.

"Mystics never play fair!" She cried as she fell.

Robin was about to catch her, but suddenly both she, and Balegor, were surrounded by a black energy and transported somewhere else. "No!" Robin exclaimed, going through the air where Zacroma had been.

"Where'd you learn to manipulate a lightening element?" Rorek asked when they landed on the ground.

"A book I have been reading for a while now. The first chapter teaches you how to manipulate lightening, I've been studying it for several days but have only just been able to use it." She answered. "Help me break down this wall." She said, raising her hands in the air. "Azrath, Metriom, Zynthos."

"Animatus, Specula, Aeternius." Rorek chanted. His white energy and her black once again merged together, flowing about each other as they began to take hold of the metal wall, becoming complex designs and portraying interesting pictures and symbols in gothic design.

"That was interesting." Said Raven after the wall was down.

"Indeed, I wonder what they mean." Rorek nodded.

Rorek went to help take down the metal box Beast Boy was still trapped in while Raven, Starfire, and Robin worked to calm the innocent bystanders. The police arrived, late as usual, and Robin told them what happened.

The aftermath was not without turbulence, as the police were always purposely difficult to deal with, but also, Beast Boy was out cold because there had been no cracks in the box, so he had been quite low on air. Robin's hover-cycle was a heap of metal that looked like it got too close to a furnace, and Cyborg looked like he would have to try and build a new arm entirely. But other than that it seemed most of them had escaped without serious injury...other than Cyborg.

"Dude, this is _bad_." He was saying, hovering back to the Tower on his board while Starfire carried Robin. "I don't know if I can get the right parts for this, let alone build it with only one other arm!"

"Well, if you keep it the way it is for now, I might be able to perform a spell that will take a step or two back in time." Rorek said.

"No kidding, _seriously_?" Cyborg asked.

Rorek nodded, "Though the more that's done to it the harder it'll be."

"ALRIGHT! You, are da man!" Cyborg cheered.

* * *

Raven gently placed Cyborg's arm in the large bowl of glittering sand as Rorek lit the candles. She got up and went to stir the contents of her small cauldron. "Six drops of rubinoil right?" She asked.

"Yes, make sure you stir it counter-clockwise." Rorek answered.

Raven inspected the bright red contents of a flask on their table of chemicals and ingredients, she opened it up and carefully counted out the exact amount. She then stirred her cauldron the desired way. She hadded a few more ingredients at Rorek's instruction, and then let it sit.

Rorek was writing runes on a piece of paper with a paintbrush and ink. He ground the paper in his hand and sprinkled it onto the biotical arm. He began to chant the runes so that they would begin to take effect. Raven poured some of the potion into a cup and then walked over to the large bowl. She sat cross legged in front of it, across from Rorek who was doing the same. They both took the cup and held it over the arm.

"Reverto Abhinc Tempus, Factus Verus Denuo." They chanted together, pouring the contents of the cup over the bionical arm.

* * *

"You fixed it! I don't believe it, you actually fixed it!" Cyborg exclaimed, after testing out his old arm. There was no sign whatsoever that any of the metal had been melted, or that anything else had been done to make it less than it originally was.

"Cool, think you could do the same for my bike?" Robin asked.

"That can be you're next project to work on." Raven answered.

"Darn." He sighed.

"I think Cyborg should probably stay out of our battles with Zacroma from now on." Rorek said.

"What?! No way! I can take her on any day, any time of the year!" Cyborg exclaimed.

"You want to be the first human dumpster? Then be my guest and ignore our warnings. However, we aren't going to fix your body parts up every time, it's a very complicated spell, and it really depleted my stores." Raven said.

"We're lucky she had what we needed." Rorek agreed.

"Alright, alright, I'll stay out of it." Cyborg sighed reluctantly. Though Raven was pretty sure he wasn't going to be too lenient in keeping that promise.

"Any ideas where Balegor and Zacroma could be?" Raven asked.

"One, Slade's hangout." Answered Beast Boy.

"If Zacroma's the newest H.I.V.E. member, she's probably working for him. And since it seems she and Balegor have teamed up, we can only assume the worst and believe Slade and Balegor's boss have teamed up as well." Robin said. "The only problem,"

"Finding Slade." Raven finished with a sigh.

"Who is this 'Slade' person?" Asked Rorek.

"Only the biggest pain in the butt since Lex Luthor." Beast Boy answered.

"In short, our resident supervillain. That one bad dude that we just _can't_ seem to catch." Added Cyborg.

"I see, I think. How do we find him?" Asked Rorek.

"Well, there are a few ways we could do this. We could always hang Robin upside-down from a light pole and place neon signs that say 'eat free here' around him." BB answered.

"Very funny." Robin leered at Beast Boy.

"And then there's trying to find his hideout, which is hard." Cyborg said. "You never find a villain's hideout until they want you to."

"Every tried scurrying?" Rorek asked, looking at Raven.

"It's really hard to scurry for anything in this time frame. There are so many different energy waves and frequencies about the air that trying to find one thing out of a billion is nearly impossible. In fact it's not a good idea to scurry at all, you could go insane with information overload." Raven answered.

"Huh?" Beast Boy said in his dumb teenage boy fashion.

"I see, that is unfortunate. Perhaps if we had some hair or something of his to go by." Rorek said.

"I'm against voodoo." Raven informed.

"What is voodoo?" Rorek questioned.

"Never mind. What were _you_ thinking?" She asked.

"It's a form of scurrying, only more direct. You see you have to have something of the person you want to see or find, and you put it in a bowl of kethnic water, it's easy to make, and then you light fire to it. I know scurrying by fire is dangerous, but if you do it right it'll ignore all other 'frequencies' in the air and go straight to his." He explained.

"I think I've read about something like that, unfortunately we don't have anything of his." Raven said.

"Actually..." Everyone turned and stared at Robin.

* * *

A/N: DON'T WORRY! It isn't as bad as one might think, given Robin. _Ahem_, anyways, yeah, I'd like to point out that the Latin words are _not_ being used in proper grammatical order, actually I wouldn't have a clue as to the proper grammar of them because all I'm doing is translating words I wanna use into Latin and voila! Spells for da mystics! Lol, okay anyway.

Anyway, here are some responses to some of your reviews:

PrepIam: you wouldn't happen to be the one who took roughly 90 gallons of my secret chocolate chip stash, would you? Lol, j/k. I'll get right on it though!

Red Moon Kree: AIEEEEEEE!! I DON'T BELIEVE IT! YOU'RE READING MY FIC!!! **I ABSOLUTLY ADORE YOUR STORY THE PAPER ROSE!!! IT'S THE BEST EVER!!!!!!!!** Ahem...anyway...yeah I completely agree with you there, we _don't_ really know anything about Rorek from the episode, but that's when we can use our own evil minds to make up stuff :). PS: YOU MUST UPDATE AS WELL!!! Ahem...okay, ignore me now.

Pixie10111: But if you kill me when the story's done, you'll never get a sequel! So nya!

I think that's all I had to say, oh yeah! (Pulls out pocket watch and starts waving it back and forth in front of the reader's faces) Loooooook at the shinyyyyyyy, obeyyyy the shinyyyyyy. Youuuuuuu will presssssss the littlllllllle buttooooooooon. Youuuuuuu willlllllll reviewwwwww, youuuuuuuuu willllllll proclaim me the supreme ruler of all that is shiny and ridiculously expensive looking! Okay no, just kidding! (Flinches away) Don't hurt me...


	11. Reflections and Lies

A/N: (Holds up a clay-like artist's eraser) See this? This represents my plot. (Begins to twist it mercilessly) BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

* * *

"Uh, Robin, now, I _know_ I am going to regret asking this but, _how_ did you get that?" Beast Boy asked.

"Honestly? I don't remember. I think it was during the time when Slade had brainwashed me because I found it on my person when we came back." Robin answered.

Raven stared at the coin Robin had placed in her hand. It looked like it had been bronzed in order to look gold, but it had Slade's face on it, as well as a few little...ahem, things as well. Obviously one of Slade's physical daydreams about becoming ruler over the world or something. It would have been likely that he had given it to Robin while explaining what the new world order would be like or something.

She didn't want to know.

But it would work, actually fairly well because it even had his picture on it. No doubt he had handled it at some point, so the required sample of him would still be there. Of course, since Rorek clamed this wasn't voodoo, it might not even need DNA, just the significance of the piece.

"Just one thing," Raven said, the others looked up at her. "I don't have the ingredients needed for kethnic water."

"Are you certain?" Robin asked.

"Yes. One of the most vital ingredients is hard to find, and I exhausted my last sample of it a while ago. It'll take a lot of digging to get more of it. I _could_ get more from my mother, but not only would it cost us more than we have, it will take a while for the message and the required payment to shadow-port from here to there." She said.

"How much do we need?" Cyborg asked.

"Depends on how much solid silver we can get out of the leftover cash we have from all our paychecks. We'd need the equivalent of 20 to 21 pounds, and this has to be the result from a complete purification." Raven answered. "That's how much the baru jewel costs."

"Baru dust, of course. I forgot about that." Rorek sighed. "I'm guessing you can't find the water in springs anymore."

"Not pure, nothing on earth is pure anymore. Unless it's something that no one knows about." Raven answered.

"Lucky we have jobs now. I'll see how much silver I can scare up with what we have. Meanwhile, why don't you go send your mother the message so she can start looking for a jewel while we get the payment ready?" Robin asked.

"I'll do that, I'm sure she'll be happy to hear from me."

* * *

_Dear Mother,_

_It's been a while since I've sent a message, I guess because nothing much has been happening. Until now at least. When was my last message? Five months ago? Yeah, you'll be having the First and Second prayer services on Azarath soon, won't you? I wish I could be there for them, they always seemed to sooth me._

_Well, I should probably tell you why I'm really writing this note, but I also want to tell you what's been going on. So I'll start with what you want to hear._

_It was a while ago, and I guess I just didn't want to admit to it then, that's why I didn't send a message before this, but two things happened. Actually three. I fell in love. Can you believe it? Me, actually feeling something for once instead of bitterness or anger. It was the most wonderful thing I had ever experienced, I was cleansed, mother, I had accomplished the one thing that we had always dreamed of. I was able to break free of my demonic blood and bask in white. But it didn't last._

_I need to start with the beginning in order to fully explain all of this, it really is a big mess, a dangerous mess. I'm starting to wonder if it is even safe for me to be feeling things. Anyway, I'm getting off topic. I found this book, only it was no ordinary book. At first it seemed like it was just the story of a wizard named Malchior slaying a powerful dragon named Rorek, but with the dragon's final curse he was sealed within the pages of his enchanted book. Only, Rorek wasn't the evil dragon, it was Malchior, Rorek's...well, I'll get to that later._

_Malchior had been sealed in the very book I had been reading. At the time I was...starting to feel lonely. I know, you're probably tisking your finger at me now, and Azar would be rolling in her grave if she knew. But just wait, this next part's better._

_Malchior took advantage of my weakness, he was trapped in the book, yes, but he was able to speak and manipulate the pages of it. He said all the right things and caused me to think I loved him. He pretended to be the good wizard of the story, he pretended to be Rorek. I am ashamed to say I fell for his trickery and lies, he taught me things I never thought I would know, gave me books of his knowledge through the magic of his pages, and all so that I could free him from his prison. He came from the book as a dragon and, it hurt, Mother, it really **hurt**. He'd lied to me, he'd tricked me, and I gave him what he wanted._

_You'll be proud of me, I didn't do nothing about it, I took action and was able to seal the dragon back in the book. Right now it's in a seceret closet of mine, where I have those...other things. The tainted rosary beads and the blackfire butterflies. Yeah, those._

_I'd like to tell you that that was the end of it, that it all dissolved into nothing and I was the same again. But the story didn't end there. Did you know that on earth, depression is treated like a mental disease of some sort? And that they actually have **medicines** that are suppose to make it go away? Quite absurd, really. I think that the best cure for depression is a circle of loyal and caring friends._

_I **did** pull through, but I came very close to losing myself. I suppose I lost sight of what it would mean for everyone else if I didn't pull together._

_And yet that's still not the end of the story._

_Remember Rorek? The one who was the 'real' good wizard? He showed up in my room about a month or so ago. No, it couldn't have been more than 3 weeks, that would probably be 6 solar Monsans, roughly anyways. Why was he there? He was looking for Malchior's book. How did he get there when he's suppose to be several hundred years old? Well, a seer told him that Malchior would be released from the book if he didn't preserve his powers. He sealed himself away in a gem to do that._

_I'm not sure what he **really** expected to do when he got the book, or when he faced Malchior again. Right now that explanation seems like another lie he has yet to come clean about. Rorek and Malchior are two parts of the same dragon, Rorek being the crystal dragon trying to rid himself of evil, and Malchior being the incarnation of said evil that was too great to be contained._

_It was all a real mess, I'm not going to bother you with the details, frankly that would take far too long, but in the end, or to this present time, I think I'm in love with Rorek now._

_And I don't know what to do._

_I know, I know, I can't allow myself to trust like that, there's more at stake than just me, but I can't help it, Mother, and I can't allow myself to fully experience my 'love'. I know with Malchior I had been able to cleanse myself, but I had trusted him to the point where I would give my life for him. I realize now that I just can't do that sort of thing, I can't love Rorek the way I thought I loved Malchior, and I think he's noticed...noticed how my eyes show no emotion when I look into his, noticed that I can't put any love into a kiss or a hug. But...I know he loves me, I can feel his emotions, I just don't know how to handle this._

_You're the only one I can ask for advice, Mother. What should I do?_

_Well...anyway, the reason I began this letter was to tell you that I've completely diminished my baru jewel supply and I need another crystal. I don't know how long it'll take me to get you the desired payment, but I wanted to know if you could maybe start looking for me. Hopefully it won't take too long to get the silver and make sure it's pure. But write back soon._

_Forever till eternity,_

_Raven._

* * *

"**What do you want, Malchior?!" Raven demanded angrily into the abandoned hallway. She looked to the right and the left, both ends lead to another hall, in which there was the exact same picture of a hangman as the one behind her, and probably the same portrait that she could see hanging from the wall of the hallway directly in front of her.**

"**Just to talk." His voice echoed down the hallways. Raven new better than to do anything more than stay put. If she didn't she'd be going down the exact same hallway constantly. Malchior's voice held no taunting, no malice, in fact it sounded like Rorek's this time.**

"**About what? I have nothing to say to you." She answered, staring at the hangman portrait.**

"**Don't worry, Rorek isn't here with us this time. I'm sure he told you he was having the same dreams. What I want to know is just how much he told you about _us_."**

"**He's explained everything to me. I know what you are, I'm wise to your lies and your twisted games. You were using me to torment Rorek, and everything you say is just another lie to suite your cause." She told him.**

"**Did he? Hnhnhn, yes, I'm sure he told you _everything_. He told you that he was a good dragon, that all he wanted to do was erase the evil inside of him and become a crystal dragon. Well then, you tell me, how can a dragon with enough evil in him to create an entirely other being, even have the mind to want to cleanse himself in the first place? And I suppose he also told you the reason he's in this time now is so that he can defeat me once and for all. But doesn't it seem odd, why didn't he just unlock me from the book and finish it a thousand years ago? Before all of this could take place. Why did he have to preserve himself as well?" Malchior asked.**

**The scene seemed to turn around her, becoming a stone-walled room with a fireplace, bookshelves, a long sofa, and little else. And there was Malchior, fully armored and with the scarf over his face. Raven stood before him, her midnight blue cloak covering her body and her hood casting a shadow over her eyes. Both of them were showing only half their faces.**

"**What are you saying?" She asked, raising an eyebrow. He was right, it did seem rather odd, but could she trust a word he said, even if it sounded like it made sense?**

"**You think I am only capable of lying, don't you? So therefore Rorek is only capable of telling the truth, right? Raven, _true_ crystal dragons have no need to lie, they are beings who have risen above the boundaries of the physical plain, they are pure like unicorns, but more powerful than any normal dragon. Rorek has shown you that he can lie, what does that tell you?" He asked.**

"**Even he admits that he has yet to reach complete purity, what have you to do with purity?" Raven questioned.**

"**I can love—" He tried.**

"**And just how am I suppose to know _that's_ not a lie, hm? You deceived me once, Malchior, I refuse to let that happen again." She snapped.**

"**How am I suppose to prove myself if you won't even give me a chance?!" He roared.**

"**You had a chance, you had several. And if forcing yourself on me is your version of love, well then it's about time you woke up. That's not love, it's called _lust_." She hissed back.**

"**What do you expect me to do, Raven?!" He exploded, "I can't stop thinking about you! I can't stop _wanting_ you, wanting to be with you! My imaginary body inside of these pages _hurts_ for the chance to touch you again!!! You have no clue of what this is like, Raven, you have no idea how hard it has been to restrain myself while you're right here in front of me! Raven, I, Am, Not, Human! And even if I were! I've seen human males, and it's not like they are any better at suppressing primal urges. BUT I'M BLOODY WELL SURE THAT THEY HAVE A BETTER IDEA OF HOW TO HANDLE IT BECAUSE I HAVE NO BLASTED CLUE!" He yelled. And then, as if he just couldn't keep himself back anymore, he grabbed her in his arms and practically crushed her to his chest. He bent down, but not to nuzzle her neck this time, instead he rested his chin slightly on her collar bone.**

**She didn't struggle this time, she didn't even try to pull away. She was too taken aback, too shocked. There, how, how could she justify all of that as lying? She could, but then she'd be close-minded. He'd just displayed something very _real_, he was right, he wasn't human. A human wouldn't just blurt all of that out, just like that, especially if they were supposedly in a powerful position and not exactly a nice person. They'd be too prideful to admit all of that to themselves...and yet...it did feel real, it felt like he was telling the truth, and she...she wanted to believe him, she really did, but could she? Should she?**

"**Please," His voice begged in her ear, "Tell me, tell me what I'm suppose to do! I'll do anything, _anything_, for you..." He whispered.**

**Yeah, that line was in _how_ _many_ romance novels? But...he sounded sincere. Well...she could find out, if she let him kiss her, and if she could sense more than just lust, it was genuine. But now much _did_ he really love her? Well, they say that if you really loved someone you'd let them go.**

"**Alright, do this for me. Kiss me the way you truly wish to, then let me go and never enter my dreams again." She told him. His grip around her tightened, and for a long moment he didn't seem to react any more. Then on arm moved up to his face, removing his scarf from his mouth. He then released her, pushing her back only just enough so that he could look her in the eyes. His hands were on her arms now, and his expression was that of longing and regret. He pushed her hood down and bent down to place his lips on hers.**

Raven's eyes gently opened, and she sat up in her bed. A moonbeam escaped through her curtains and was cascading across her bed. She touched her lips, still able to feel Malchior's kiss. It wasn't like his previous kisses, nor was it still anything like Rorek's. It was deep, but full of passion, longing, and pain. She had felt love coming from him, as well as despair. He'd wanted so badly to trap her, to keep her there forever, so that she'd always be his.

But he didn't.

So what was she going to do about it? Well, she wasn't sure exactly, but she decided that, since he seemed to have proven his love to human standards, she might as well give him another chance. She wasn't going to let him out of the book, no, not unless Rorek himself suggested it, which wasn't happening, but she _would_ give him a chance to explain himself, and to tell her his side of it all.

Raven pushed the covers off of her and then walked over to the hangman tapestry. She pushed it aside and put her hand upon the pentagram engraved on the wooden door behind it. The door glowed, and then opened, revealing a large room, filled with books mostly, but also with a sword, a staff, an orb of blackfire butterflies, a small chest holding tainted rosary, and the Dark Chest of Horrors. But there was also a chest, consumed in black energy and electric white chains surrounding it, binding it closed.

Raven waved her hand over the chest and released her spell, she then took a deep breath, and opened it.

There was Malchior's book, looking innocent and harmless as always, but this time it looked different to her, like something she might have misjudged. Hesitantly, she picked it up.

"Raven..." she allowed the book to open up in her hands and flip over to the page where Malchior's face could be seen, animated and colored. "I was preparing myself for an eternity without you, why the sudden change of mind?" He asked.

"I've, misjudged you. The kind of mistake I hate to make the most. This doesn't mean I fully trust you, but I've decided to give you a chance to explain." She said.

"I think I've said enough to fill a good many pages of poetry, what more do you want me to say?" He asked.

"I want to know you're side of the story, it is becoming apparent to me that you and Rorek are not exactly black and white." She answered.

"Very well, then, where should I begin?" he questioned.

"Perhaps with what you were telling me earlier, about Rorek lying to me." She told him.

"He wasn't lying to you in that we use to be the same dragon, however. And we weren't a particularly nice dragon either, but we weren't fully evil either. More like an even balance between good and evil, a gray dragon. A crystal dragon and an ebony dragon are known as spectral dragons, both far more powerful than a normal dragon, as they are complete in either one side of the spectrum or the other, but a gray dragon is far more powerful still. You can't have good without evil, and for every crystal dragon there is an ebony dragon, but that doesn't mean they are the same being.

"I don't remember much of how we lived as a whole, those memories have been broken up and scattered about our separate minds, what I _do_ remember, is that one day we got on the wrong side of a very _powerful_ enchantress known as the White Magus. She then cursed us by separating our soul into their two equal halves, the yin, and the yang. But because each of us had either a little darkness or a little light, we were no longer as powerful as even the spectral dragons.

"But, of course, instead of trying to merge back, we warred with each other, in spite of the fact that when one dies, the other will too. But our clashes were so powerful and deadly, that other dragons were moving to stop us. It was a wizard who sealed me within the pages of this book, and an enchantress who placed Rorek in a jewel. The reason I decided to change the names, even of the wizard, was mostly because I was too prideful and ashamed that it _hadn't_ been at least Rorek who'd sealed me away. You see, we can't die unless we kill each other, but our battles devastate much more than each other, so the best way to handle it would be a seal."

"But, that's not possible, Rorek knew what was in the book, he—"

"I was sealed away before he was. There was a time in which he _did_ have me as a book, and he saw my little record about him being the wizard who had slain me, as embarrassing as it was. I guess there was an argument in some council about sealing _him_ away as well, which is why he had enough time to obtain me and read my pages before being sealed himself. He can, after all, sense where I am outside of these protected walls, as I can sense where he is. Eventually I suppose it was decided that he would be locked in the jewel, though he didn't go down without a fight, I'm sure."

Raven sat there, her face with it's usually emotionless expression, but her mind reeling. So, Rorek had lied to her? _Again_? Or was it still Malchior who was lying? Who could she believe, who could she trust? It was so confusing, why couldn't Rorek have just come out and _told_ her about it? So far she had heard nothing that would make her think that much less of him. Maybe he thought that if she saw him as a dragon who had only wanted to better himself, she would forgive the fact that he was a dragon in the first place.

But why did he have to lie to her?

"My sweet Raven," Malchior's voice was loving and kind, a falsehood she knew, but right now she didn't really care. A ribbon of paper rose from the book and caressed her cheek. "I am truly sorry for what I did to you. Please know that I have changed since then, I would never do anything to hurt you again. You're the only one I've ever truly cared about." He said.

She didn't respond, even to the stroking of his paper, her face remained emotionless, allowing none of her thoughts to seep through. But it was probably obvious she was having these thoughts.

"What are you going to do about it, Raven? If you confront Rorek I'm fairly certain he'll deny it." He whispered. "Remember when Rorek entered your room while you had me out? He could sense me then, he can't sense me while I'm inside of this room. He was afraid you would talk to me, and that I would tell you. Doesn't it make sense? He has lied to you, Raven, we are both guilty of crimes against your heart." He said.

"I'm going to confront Rorek and give him the chance to explain himself, if he admits to the same story and I am absolutely sure he is not lying, I'll believe you." She said.

"How are you going to be sure he isn't lying? He can trick your empathy." Malchior asked.

"I don't know. I guess I can't be sure who's lying anymore."

* * *

_Bring me home or leave me be  
My love in the dark heart of the night  
I have lost the path before me  
The one behind will lead me_

_Take me  
Cure me  
Kill me  
Bring me home  
Every way  
Every day  
Just another loop in the hangmans noose_

_Take me, cure me, kill me, bring me home  
Every way, every day  
I keep on watching us sleep_

_Relive the old sin of Adam and Eve  
Of you and me  
Forgive the adoring beast_

_Redeem me into childhood  
Show me myself without the shell  
Like the advent of May  
Ill be there when you say  
Time to never hold our love_

_My fall will be for you__  
__My love will be in you__  
__You were the one to cut me__  
__So Ill bleed forever_

"Ghost Love Score, I love that song." Elsa said, handing Raven a book for her to sort. "Took a while for it to grow on me though, you?"

"I like it." Raven answered blandly.

"You alright girl?"

"Hm?" Raven looked up at her co-worker.

"You seem a little detached today." Elsa smirked, "Anything happen between you and tall, dark, and sexy?" She asked.

"_Who_?" Raven asked, raising an eyebrow at her.

Elsa rolled her eyes, "You know, _Rorek_!" She exclaimed.

"Oh, I suppose." She said.

Elsa gave out a little squeal of delight, which caused Raven to give her one of those, 'are you _sane_' looks. "So, has he asked you out yet? Complemented you any? What's he been up to?" She asked.

At first she wasn't sure _what_ Elsa was talking about, and then she turned back to her books, "Oh, I'm sorry Elsa but it seems our relationship has progressed farther than your questioning." She said.

Elsa gasped, "He kissed you didn't he?! Oh my gosh! And you didn't _tell_ me?!?!?!" She exclaimed.

"Elsa, you're my co-worker, _not_ my 'girl friend'. And I don't think I can survive another 'girl friend' after Starfire." Raven said, almost wincing with remembrance.

She'd hadn't even had the chance to let Rorek know something was up. First off they had an incident that morning with Beast Boy and Cyborg trying to intensify the stench of their stink ball. Well it turned into a stink _bomb_ and everyone had to go outside and let the air system flush the tower out. Rorek had fainted and was out cold until things seemed to settle down, though she was certain she'd _still_ be able to smell the stuff when she got back. _Mental note: Buy some perfume before leaving._ She thought. She could use it for two things, one to keep her room from smelling, and two to play a cruel joke on the two and dump the bottle all over their stink ball. They'd have to call it 'perfume' ball next.

Anyway, after all of that Cyborg and Beast Boy seemed determined to beat Rorek at video games _somehow_. So they had this big tournament going on and somehow managed to drag Robin into it as well. So Starfire saw this as a great opportunity to continue her little hobby of 'bonding' with Raven. Shouldn't those magazines be telling her _something_ about opposites? But, Raven _had_ said she would so...

She was made to try on all different outfits, and _none_ of them looked all that great on her. Which was mostly because they were all cheery clothes as they were at a very preppy store. Starfire, however, looked so good in them, a collection of guys had appeared around the dressing room, waiting for her to come out in another outfit so they could whistle and stuff. Raven pulled out her book and ignored them.

After Starfire used some free money from her paycheck in buying her favorite outfit, she then paid for both of them to get a 'beauty treatment'. Raven was lucky this time, instead of getting a giddy blond like Starfire for a salonist, it was a black-haired semi-goth. She dressed in dark clothing and seemed to know exactly what Raven preferred. Her hair had been trimmed as little as possible, her nails had been filed and painted black, and the makeup that had been applied had been very little, and what did show up went very well with her skin color.

Then Starfire had her go into a better clothing store and made her pick out something to buy. She got a black, long sleeved shirt with a large gothic cross on the front and a pair of midnight blue jeans.

When they had gotten home, everyone stared, but didn't say a word, and she didn't stay long enough for them to do so.

Then she had taken a shower and gotten ready for work, and there she was.

"Sooooo? That doesn't mean you can't tell me anything. Just tell me what's been going on, _pleeeeeeeease_?" She begged.

"It's a little complicated." Raven said in a final tone of voice.

"Oh so that means that because I'm not a titan I won't get it?" Elsa asked with an offended voice.

"Yes." Raven answered flatly. Elsa face-faulted.

"Oh come ooooo—hey Raven, are you wearing makeup?" She asked, looking as if she'd just seen Raven's face for the first time.

"Shut up." Raven glowered.

"This is great! Wanna borrow my lipstick?!"

"Shut up."

"I have lots of different colors that would look _great_ on you! And eyeshadows too, that foundation you have is just _perfect_ though, don't change it. But we can mix and match with colors, though you have a rather limited selection, I think only dark colors would work with you, and nothing green, yellow, or orange, ich that would be bad."

"Shut up." Raven tried again.

"You can come over to my house too! I think I have some clothes that might fit you, and would look great! They're the clothes I wish I could wear, you know? But I'm not that skinny quite yet."

"Shut up."

"Oh we can have so much fun! And I'll bet Rorek would _love_ it too!"

"Elsa?"

"Yes?" She asked.

"Shut, up." Raven repeated for the fifth time. But Elsa just grinned at her and snickered.

* * *

A/N: I have a request to make of all my faithful readers, ahem, PLEASE TELL ME TELL ME TELL ME IF I HAVE ANY HOLES!!! I would very much like to make sure it's not all screwed up, and would like to make sure that any holes there may appear to be I have there on purpose and will be explained laters. But if I find any, I _will_ go back and change stuff up to fix it, but I will be sure to tell everyone where I have changed things. For now, I hope you're enjoying it!

And now for the individual notes that you guys like so very very much, heheh.

She Who Knows All: Hey, thanks for that info! I'm so lazy, I didn't even bother looking it up. I just decided, hey! Why not just do my own thing, y'know? But, seriously, that power chant wouldn't work with Rorek, mostly because 'Mortix' sounds too much like 'Mortis' which is Latin for 'death'. Uh, don't ask me how I know that...ANYWAY! I did say I was using Latin for the spells, right? Yeah, I think so. And also, as this chapter has implied, the book itself (in this story, not in anything else mind you!) is fixed, that power chant wasn't either of theirs, and Rorek _didn't_ know the exact spell to seal him away. See? There _is_ purpose! I just have to think a few minutes to figure it out...hee hee!

NightmareSelene: Bet that's been bothering you throughout the entire story huh? I know this one girl who's like a grammar freak, I mean she'll be reading novels that have actually been published, and she'll be able to pick up every single spelling or grammar error and it'll bother her so much that she can hardly enjoy the book until she's forgotten about the error. It's pretty funny actually. Not that I'm saying _you're_ that way, all I'm saying is that that's how I hear it, so that's how I'm spelling it...for now. I'll probably change it if I ever go back and edit the entire thing. But don't worry, I _do_ realize how horribly my spelling does suck.

Pixie1011: I dunno if I'm gonna write a sequal or not actually, I might unless I put all the stuff I have in mind into this story, we'll just have to see, but I think I will, if only to give it a different plotline. Ahem, but still, I'd rather not have a pixie mad at me...

I think that's it for now. Keep those reviews coming though!!!


	12. Confrontation

A/N: In response to Yukinna's review (I'm putting it here because), yeah, you're probably right on that. But my theory is that Raven has to have _some_ way of letting out her emotions so that they don't just explode inside of her. Writing stuff always sooths me so I figure writing a letter to her mother is one way of getting it out (And besides, she's having a few, ahem, problems with her emotions right now (snickers)). I know she has Nevermore, but I started writing this before realizing she had it. In fact I started writing this before I knew very much about Teen Titans at all it seems. (Grins nervously) heheh...Ahem, as for her powers...yeah, I guess I'm not using some of her original powers much, but, in my opinion, why move objects to smack your opponent silly when you can just send a thousand volts of pure lightening through them and have even better results? :D Anyway, thanks for reviewing, I really appreciate it!

PS: Yeah, I wrote most of this chapter before the review so there's gonna be another letter.

* * *

_Dear Mother,_

_Things have gotten more complex since the last letter I sent. I know it's hardly been two days, but it feels like enough has happened to fill two months._

_I just don't know what's true anymore, don't ask me why but I reopened Malchior's book, and he's lead me to believe that Rorek lied to me again. But, the thing is, I thought at first that maybe it was **Malchior** who was the liar but...some of the things he told me make sense, and some things that have happened don't quite fit with what Rorek's been leading me to believe._

_I'm confused, whom can I trust? Can I trust either of them? Malchior says that they are two parts of the same soul, and they were originally a 'gray' dragon. Have you heard of that before? I haven't. Supposedly it's a dragon who's darkness and light are in complete equilibrium. Supposedly, they were separated by an enchantress a long time ago, and the reason they were sealed in the book and jewel was because they caused so much devastation while fighting with each other._

_I don't know who to believe. Malchior is evil, he betrayed me, he used me, and has the nerve to claim that he's changed. But Rorek's lied before, and now more than ever do I feel like he's hiding something. In fact I have the feeling that they're **both** hiding something. But I don't know who's telling the truth. Maybe Rorek was merely leaving out a few things he thought I didn't have to know, and then Malchior took advantage of that and came up with a believable lie._

_So, I was wondering, could I borrow the Libra? I really think I need it right now. I don't think I can trust myself to take any sort of action unless I have something foolproof. Rorek can fool my empathy, in fact he has explained to me how to do it and was trying to teach it to me. And Malchior's still a book, I can't really use empathy on him now can I? Besides, if Rorek can do that, then Malchior most likely can as well._

_I guess I'll give them both the benefit of the doubt for now, but don't worry, I won't be trusting either of them until I know **exactly** what's going on. I hope to hear from you soon, if only for your advice._

_Forever till eternity, Raven._

* * *

"So, have you confronted Rorek yet?" Asked Malchior.

"No, because I still don't know if you're telling me the truth or not." She answered. She took a bottle of black sand with a tiny opening and used it to draw a rune on the surface of the wine she was using. It stayed there for a moment, and then dissolved completely.

"Is that why you're putting a barrier around your room?" He questioned. Raven put some rose petals into an apothecary bowl and began to grind them rapidly.

"Right now I don't know if I can trust either of you, but I am going to find out one way or another. And during that time I want to be able to talk to you outside of this room, and that means putting the same blocking spells up around the walls of my own room so Rorek can't sense you." She told him. She sprinkled the moist dust of the rose petals into the bowl and watched them turn the wine violet. She opened up a small box beside her, which contained an assortment of pouches in organized rows. She picked one out and fingered it. She frowned and put it back, picking up another one. Crystal dust was a good substitute for several other gems in small spells, if you're not too picky about the results, and it was extremely easy to get. It had worked well in place of her jade dust several times, but was she willing to chance it?

Either way, she _really_ needed to get her stores back up. She'd just use the rest of her jade dust. Besides, jade was less expensive than some stones. She opened the pouch she had first handled and then poured what little was still in there into the bowl.

"Also," She added, "I have reason to believe someone is trying to spy on me."

"Really? And just who would this be? And why?" Malchior questioned.

"His name's Balegor, a new enemy." She answered, getting up to take some boiling water from her small cauldron. "Another lunatic, but he's still a sorcerer nonetheless, and hardly human." She told him. She held her cup over the bowl and slowly poured a small stream of the water into it. The jade dust began to swirl around the stream, consuming it until she had poured all of it into the bowl, which didn't look any more full than it had previously. "So far he's escaped every time we defeat him, and he's not even that powerful. But he can use ancient magics, so we have reason to believe that he's working for someone." She explained, setting up a few candles around the bowl.

"So why would he be spying on you?" He asked as she began to light them in order of color.

"He claims that I will become his bride. He is a bungling idiot in my opinion." She answered. The color of the solution began to swirl and clear so that it appeared to be water.

"And he isn't dead yet?" Malchior asked with a slight growl.

"Haven't been able to kill him. And besides, we don't want them _dead_, just defeated and out of our hair." Raven answered, completely unfazed by Malchior's reactions. She waited for the jade dust to start gathering at the center of the water's surface and then stirred it clockwise with a long silver spoon. The collection of jade began to turn into a single, very small, jewel, which began to soak up the water and enlarged as she stirred. Finally the jewel was the size of her fist and no more moisture was left in the bowl.

"It's going to take a lot more effort making sure he stays locked up than it would to just kill him." Malchior pointed out as Raven dipped candle wax from each candle onto the jewel.

"Well, that's your way. We prefer to operate differently. Besides, if we kill anyone who seems humanoid we could get arrested for murder ourselves. The economy is a lot different now than it was in your time." She answered.

"How irritating, of course, it's not like any normal man could hope to arrest _you_." He said.

Raven rolled her eyes, "It's not whether we get caught or not, it's the principal of the matter." She said with an exasperated sigh.

"Whatever you say, Love. Hm, what's that? That doesn't look like the same spell placed on this room." He said.

"It isn't. I figured if I was going to diminish my stores any more, it might as well be on something I can carry around with me or move." She said, picking up the smooth jewel after the wax turned it dark violet. She examined it, the rune she had poured into the bowl previously was inside of it in black. It wasn't as big as she had wanted, but then if she had had more jade dust it would have helped.

"Clever. Where will you put it?" He asked.

"Under the mattress of my bed." She answered.

"Are you sure that will be comfortable? It's a rather large jewel." He asked.

"Number one, I am not a dainty princess who can feel a pea under ten mattresses, and two, the mattresses of this time are a little more functional than the ones of yours." She told him.

He chuckled slightly, "Of course." He said. "But what will you do if Rorek ever finds out that _you're_ keeping a secret from him now?"

"Simple, I intend to tell him before he finds out. I'm not going to be stupid and leave you out in the open for him to find in case he decides to invade my privacy, _again_. This is just a precaution in case I don't want to lock myself in this room just to speak with you." She told him as she wrapped the jewel up in a cloth.

"It is rather cramped in here." He sighed. Raven began cleaning up everything, using magic to put the instruments and ingredients back into their place within her other closet. "You know, it would be easier to merely put a null spell upon my book, you could take me with you everywhere and Rorek would never notice. I could teach it to you. Besides, it's not like he would remember what this book looks like after a thousand years." He told her.

Raven raised an eyebrow at him, "More dark magic, Malchior? I don't think so. The fact that I've decided to talk to you again does not mean I fully trust you." She told him flatly.

"My, you are quite the puzzle, Love." He said.

"Oh am _I_ the puzzle now? As far as I can tell, figuring you and Rorek out has been the most complicated 'puzzle' I have ever known existed."

* * *

Raven might have looked tired the next morning, but she felt exhausted. True to his word, Malchior had not invaded her dreams, but she'd had such a hard time getting to sleep that night that there was little dreaming involved period. And of course, the only thing she could recall of any of them was a white shirt.

It was late in the morning, so everyone was up. Robin was the one who did a morning shift, so currently he was getting ready for it, and by getting ready he was standing there in his black body suit talking about his teammates.

"No seriously, yesterday she _actually_ got on Crystal's nerves, and Crystal almost _never_ gets upset about anything. See, first she somehow tied this string of rubber chickens together, and she used them as a rope to swing across the rafters. Nearly got herself seriously hurt, and landed on Crystal. She blew a major gasket and is currently not speaking to Lura." He was saying.

"This Crystal and Lura seem like very interesting girls." Said Starfire. At the subtle tone of her voice Raven decided to vacate the premises immediately and went directly to the kitchen.

"Whoa, dude, you like beat, Rae!" Beast Boy exclaimed, swallowing his current mouthful of cold pizza.

"I didn't get much sleep." She answered with a small yawn. She then went to the fridge and decided on some yogurt for breakfast.

"Maybe you should go back to sleep." Rorek suggested.

"I will if I'm not needed until tonight." She answered.

"Wait a minute Rae! Remember when you said you'd watch that movie with us?!" Beast Boy exclaimed.

"What movie?" Cyborg asked. Beast Boy elbowed him in his metallic ribs, which did more damage to BB than it did to Cyborg. "Oh riiiiight! That movie!" He exclaimed, nodding knowingly.

"Oh, right. Didn't I say that a while ago? It can't wait another day?" Raven asked.

"Nope! See, we're gonna trick everyone else into the entertainment room because today is Cy's day off, and we can watch it during his usual work period." Beast Boy said.

"But until then I'm free?" She questioned.

"Yeah, go on back to bed. You look beat." Cyborg said.

Raven finished off her yogert and then left the kitchen with a 'bye'. Robin was just leaving for work, and Starfire looked a little irritated, well, looking irritated the Starfire way. Which was to put on a slight glower and stick out your lip in a pout. Apparently Robin had _not_ said what she had wanted to hear. Fortunately for Raven, she didn't notice her going back up the stairs or she might have stopped her in order to have another 'girl friend' session in honor of her newest irk.

Raven hadn't entered her room for two minutes when there was a knock on her door. "Yes?" She asked, dreading it to be Starfire.

Thankfully it wasn't, it was Rorek. "It's me," His voice said, "Um, can I..." He paused a moment, "Come in?" He finished.

Raven looked at the door, almost confused at his tone, and then she went to open it. "Sure..." She said, allowing him entry. Anything she didn't want him to find was in her secret closet.

"I know you're tired, but I was wondering if we could, you know..." He trailed off for a moment. Raven stared at his side, her eyes wide, "Talk." He finished. Had she breathed a sigh of relief? Gods she hoped not.

"I suppose, anything in particular on your mind?" She asked, now this seemed to hold significance. They could talk about magical theory and contrasting philosophies at any time of the day, it wasn't like anyone else could really understand what they were saying exactly, and they had little need to be alone during these times.

Rorek turned fully to Raven, "I, I know I probably shouldn't be asking this but, I want to know if you'd be willing to give me the enchanted book back." He said.

She'd been wondering when he'd confront her with this, and it seemed fairly obvious now that he was most afraid of her talking to Malchior, with good reason she suspected, he wouldn't have wanted her to know he'd lied to her again. Or he might be afraid of the lies Malchior would fill in her head. All in all, she still couldn't trust him. She took a deep breath, preparing herself for what was bound to come, and said, "Rorek, I'm sorry but, I can't." She told him.

Rorek blinked in confusion, "Why not? I mean, I thought you would want to be rid of it and—" He stopped abruptly, and saw the look in her eyes, "You've spoken to him, haven't you? Raven why—"

"Why? You want to know why?" Her expression became hard, "Because some things didn't make sense to me. If you knew Malchior would be released, why didn't you just release him from the book himself and then finish it then and there instead of having to seal yourself away as well?! And the fact that if the book is destroyed so are you? That just doesn't seem possible, especially the part where you told me he'd still be alive if you were killed. It also doesn't make sense that a dragon with enough evil to create another being entirely through the cleansing process would even _wish_ to cleanse himself. And now that I think about it, it seems unlikely that the process wouldn't be without extra backup jewels in case the darkness is too great for one.

"I don't know that all he told me is true, and don't get the wrong idea that I trust him again, because I don't, not hardly. But the things he told me made a lot of sense, and if you have another explanation then I would like to hear it. But I am getting _very_ tired of all these lies and all of these secrets. I decided to trust you, I decided to bear my soul and tell you about my origins, the least you could do was to tell me the full truth!" She said. And in spite of the anger on her face and in her voice, she was able to keep control over her emotions. Perhaps it would have been worse if she had waited any longer than this.

She was almost expecting him to come back at her for going behind his back and speaking to Malchior, perhaps because she'd begun to see him slightly differently, as someone who would keep lying to her just to keep her around. But he didn't, instead he merely hung his head in shame and didn't say anything for a while. "I'm sorry." He finally whispered. "I thought...it would be more simple this way. That maybe I could put the past behind me, start anew, and even become a true Crystal Dragon eventually. I, didn't want to involve you in my problems. I guess it's a little late for that." He said.

"It was my problem from the beginning, starting with Malchior's betrayal. Why do you keep lying to me? Do I really seem like the kind of person who would think less of you because of your past or your origins?!" She asked.

"I know, I know, Raven! And I'm sorry, I really am, there is no excuse for it. I just thought things would be more simple, easier to live with..." He said, his eyes pleading with her to understand.

"If it was black and white, right?" She finished for him. He just nodded, his eyes turned to the floor. "So, tell me the real story, and no lies this time." She said.

* * *

_Red Sun rising  
Drown without inhaling  
Within, the dark holds hard  
Red Sun rising  
Curtain falling  
Higher than hope my cure lies_

Raven stopped her new stereo without moving from her place on her bed. The other day had been very...off. Not bad or irritating, just off. She'd escaped Cyborg and Beast Boy's movie another time, mostly because Robin had shut himself up in the workout room to think and speaking to Starfire would probably result in cooked flesh. Beast Boy had knocked on her door to tell her it was a no go, and that they would try again that weekend.

He didn't wait for a response before leaving, which was good because she and Rorek currently had their tongues in each other's mouths. She couldn't help but blush in remembrance, and then she shook it off. Why did she have to be so embarrassed with having a relationship, period? She still wasn't that willing to let the other's know about it, even though Beast Boy and Cyborg could have probably guessed, I mean, they may be stupid, but they're not _that_ stupid. Especially not Cyborg.

But was she herself willing to admit she had one? Maybe, she wasn't so sure.

Rorek's story fit with Malchior's well enough that it seemed to be the truth this time. So why did she still feel like there was something neither of them were telling her?

Raven rolled onto her side and stared out her window. It was late, she'd gotten back from work an hour ago, where she had been asked out 8 times by 5 goths. She turned them all down, of course, but had a mind to wonder if she was carrying around some sort of sign. For goodness sake, she wasn't _that_ pretty! Okay, maybe she was in a certain way. It was just that Starfire had always seemed the main focus of many a male who had hardly even glimpsed at her. Though they were a little more punky/preppy than any of the customers in Alabaster's.

Raven yawned, she was tired, but she couldn't seem to get much sleep. She rolled over again with a sigh, dreading another night like the last one. Only this time she had confronted Rorek and everything was out in the open. Well, between the two of them at least. But she was still mad at him, and she was irritated with Malchior. She was also irritated with herself for getting involved.

Rorek had asked for the book again after their lip-locking session, which did not end well. She wasn't going to let him have it, though she wasn't entirely sure why. Maybe she was afraid of what Malchior would tell him, and maybe she was still clinging to what once was. But this wasn't an argument where Rorek was very willing to back down.

In the end, Rorek had stalked out of her room, both of them angry and upset. He was mad at her because he thought she was still infatuated with Malchior and was being unfaithful to _him_. And she was angry at him for suggesting it.

It was a mess, a big mess. And she had the unfortunate pleasure of being smack dab in the middle.

_BWEEEP BWEEEEP BWEEEEEEP!_

_Oh lovely_. Raven got up and, used magic to change, she then flew out of her room and on to the living room.

* * *

Nothing, a big fat nothing.

They had gone to the site, Cyborg riding his hover board and Robin riding Beast Boy, apparently Starfire was still irritated at him. Best not to ask.

But when they had gotten there, all they found was the empty parking lot of an abandoned church building. It was the parking lot that the distress call had come from, and nothing was happening there, so one could only assume the danger had probably migrated into the church.

"Should we go in?" Asked Cyborg, "Or assume it was a false alarm?"

"We can't take any chances." Robin said, jumping down from Beast Boy.

"But, dude, we can't go in there! It's too spooky!" BB exclaimed.

"Suck it up, man, this isn't a horror movie!" Cyborg exclaimed.

"Actually," Both Raven and Rorek began.

"Abandoned churches are sometimes used as sites of dark rituals by cults. Good energies turned evil type of spells, and churches are usually direct sources of good energy. It's spooky because of the evil aura surrounding it, and night always exposes hidden evil. It is very possible this is a trap." Raven said.

Rorek nodded his agreement, "There is a very dark aura surrounding this building, I don't think it would be a good idea to enter." He said.

"So what do we do?" Robin asked.

"Purify it, force the evil to come out and combat us on our own terms." Raven answered.

"**Oh that really won't be necessary."** Said a raspy, inhuman voice from the church. Suddenly the front double doors flew open. It felt like a forceful wave of raging water had hit them from behind and was carrying them into the church, as if gravity and their individual abilities to fly or resist didn't matter. They heard the doors slam shut and then, darkness.

* * *

A/N: MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!! ANOTHER CLIFHANGER!!!! And you wanna know how to get the next chapter out soon? Review! Aren't I just so evil? :D

Hm...I drew a romantic picture between Raven and Rorek...it isn't finished yet but...(Looks at picture, then back at readers) This is one of those times when I say, "Holy crap, did I _draw_ that?!?!?!" If anyone I knew saw it I would be so embarrassed....

Ahem, reply time!!!

TheDarkAzar: Um, I'm replying now? Eheheh...Well...some reviews I just don't have replies _for_, y'know? Hm....let's see...ah! Here you are! Actually, taking over the world would have the repercussions of having a certain immortal dragon slayer on my tail (CoughDr.EvansCough), so, I'm taking over Saturn instead, once I figure out a way of keeping Yume alive there (Kittens and Saturn's atmosphere don't mix). And also my best friend, Lady Hex, is all human, so I'm stuck here until she can come along and help me take over. But you'll let me know how taking over earth goes, okidoki?

Pixie1011: You know what? I think I _will_ write a sequel, I already have one thought out! I just need some more plot for it...well, for now you get this!

Zoicytes-Shadow: Alrighty then! There's another who wishith for a sequel! I shalt go about your request...as soon as this is finished!

Twilight Shards: GLEE! Make sure you tell me your SN when you do! E-mail me! You'll find it on my author page.

Hmm, seems a lot of people are getting annoyed at how I spell Raven's power chant, (Grins evilly) :D heheheheh.


	13. Into the Darkness

A/N:...Yeah, like anyone's gonna read this instead of getting on with the story.

* * *

"Everyone okay?" A mercifully familiar voice called out in the darkness.

"Depends on your definition of 'okay'." Came Beast Boy's pained response. "I feel like we landed on a pile of ro—OWE!" He suddenly exclaimed, hitting something.

"I am in utter confusion, I cannot see a thing in this darkness!" Starfire exclaimed.

"Okay sound off, Beast Boy?" Robin called.

"Here! Wherever _that_ is." He answered.

"Rorek?"

"I'm here." He answered, grunting as he slowly lifted himself from the uneven terrain. There was truly no light to be seen, and it was obvious there were many obsticals about the place, he felt a slanted wall like surface to his left and kept his hand on it. Not even his extra dragon sight could pick anything but slight shapes from the place around them. Well, it was enough that he could avoid big obstacles, he pulled his scarf down and breathed in the air.

"Starfire?"

"Present and accounted for." The girl answered.

"Cyborg?"

"Robin, I'm behind you." He answered.

"Oh so that's you. Okay, Raven?" He called. Rorek's heart seemed to stop beating altogether. He breathed in deeply through his nose, and focused everything he could to try and hear her if she spoke. "Raven?" Robin repeated, his voice also growing with worry. But it was nothing compared to Rorek, Raven not answering _could_ be explained in that she may have passed out, but he could not smell her at all. He could smell all the others, along with a dark, musky scent he did not care to find the nature of, but try as he might, he couldn't smell _her_.

"Lumos!" Rorek exclaimed, raising his hand in the air to create a sphere of bright light. Suddenly the entire terrain was exposed, they looked to be within a place of ancient ruins, underground, like a once-great city built by dwarfs. Crystal clear waters made islands out of certain places like the one he stood upon, and were so shallow that the deepest parts looked like they would go no higher than his ankle. He could see Beast Boy nursing an injury from a jagged piece of rubble, Cyborg and Robin were standing on top of what looked, from there, to be a tipped over wall with ancient engravings on them, Starfire was flying above them, joining Robin now that she could see, but Raven was nowhere. "Raven! RAVEN!" He yelled, flying high into the air. He combed the place with his eyes, looking for anything that might resemble her. Blue, lavender, black clothing, pale skin, anything other than the dusty white of the marble structures that encompassed the whole terrain. Nothing, not even a silhouette. He sniffed the air deeply, trying to pick up her dark floral scent. There was nothing but ruins, dirt walls, and a dirt ceiling held together by magical braces.

But something _did_ get his attention, a single structure that seemed untouched. He flew to it, the others following him with Beast Boy and Starfire carrying Cyborg and Robin. When he landed there, all he could do was stare. He thought his heart had stopped before, but now it seemed like his whole world had frozen in place.

He stood there, having to tear his eyes from the pictures upon the mural, and read the ancient language surrounding it. He translated aloud for the other's benefit, "'And so it came to pass that the great evil, the demon Trigon, did conceive within the woman a child that would be the key to his release upon the world. And when the child became a woman she would marry Brother Blood, the high priest of Trigon, and within her womb she would conceive the apocalypse of all space and time. Creating an order in which Trigon shall release his demon children and they shall feed upon the blood which they have starved for for so long. And Trigon with his half-demon, half-human daughter shall rule over all, and it shall be a time of suffering for, not only mankind, but for all other creatures who have not given themselves to evil and join Trigon. So says the Book of Blood.'"

"That's, that's Raven!" Beast Boy exclaimed, pointing at the picture of a woman, wearing a long dress that became the darkness around her. She was in the center of the mural, her hands held up to the beast he suspected was Trigon. Her hair was much longer in the picture, and she was older too, but it was still Raven. To her right was a cloaked figure that was probably Brother Blood, who, it was now apparent, was Balegor, and to her left was a large crystal, held in chains, and with a sleeping infant trapped inside.

"Let's get out of here, and find Raven!" Rorek suddenly exclaimed, surprising everyone by the firm tone of his voice. _Raven, I swear to any god who would listen to me, this **will not** happen._

* * *

**"Raven? Raven what happened?" A familiar voice, with an unfamiliar tone of concern in it, called to her.**

**"I thought you promised to stay out of my dreams." Raven said, her eyes began to open, and she saw Malchior was holding her up on the floor of one of his castle rooms. She then sat bolt upright, "Oh gods, I can't be asleep! Not now!!!" She exclaimed.**

**"You've been drugged." He explained.**

**"What? How would you know?" She demanded irritably.**

**"Because I tried to send you back myself. Raven where are you?" He asked.**

**"What does it matter to you?" She snapped, "It's not like you can _do_ anything!" She exclaimed, standing up so she didn't have to be so close to him.**

**"If you released me from your curse I could—"**

**"_Absolutly not_!" She nearly shrieked, "If you think for one second that _just because_ I'm in a little bind I'm going to just set you free so you can go on your little rampage afterwards, you're out of your mind!"**

**Malchior narrowed his eyes at her in an angered look. He then opened his mouth to speak, "'And so it came to pass that the great evil, the demon Trigon, did conceive within the woman a child that would be the key to his release upon the world. And when the child became a woman she would marry Brother Blood, the high priest of Trigon, and within her womb she would conceive the apocalypse of all space and time. Creating an order in which Trigon shall release his demon children and they shall feed upon the blood which they have starved for for so long. And Trigon with his half-demon, half-human daughter shall rule over all, and it shall be a time of suffering for, not only mankind, but for all other creatures who have not given themselves to evil and join Trigon. So says the Book of Blood.'"**

**Raven stared at him, her eyes widen, her heart pounding in her ears with every word. "How, do you know of that?" She asked, everything else all but completely forgotten.**

**"Rorek and I are of the same being, therefore it only makes sense that we can communicate mentally. Though on a normal basis we both close our minds to each other, but I couldn't help but hear _that_. And this: 'Raven, I swear to any god who would listen to me, this _will not_ happen.'" He said in Rorek's voice. "And, naturally, after sensing you were sleeping, I became rather worried." He told her.**

**He couldn't have been lying, there was no way he'd have known that passage from the Book of Blood. But how did Rorek find it? Only preists of the Blood Clan had coppies of them, and the only other—The Noxmuralis, the mural that told the prophecy in the book. Oh gods, they were _there_?! But if they were there, and she wasn't, where was _she_?**

**Several dots seem to connect simultaneously within her mind. There were many possibilities, there could be many explanations to this and, assuming the worst was true, dealing with a free Malchior after all of this was over would be crystal dust compared to what they were about to face. Provided, they lived through this.**

**Raven whirled on Malchior, her eyes ablaze with resolution, "If I free you, if I break the curse that binds you to the book, you have to _swear_ to me that you will _not_ harm any innocence, and that you will help us defeat Trigon and Balegor." She said.**

**Malchior looked suddenly taken aback by this sudden change of mind, which was only proving to him how serious the situation was becoming. "What, do you think I'm going to allow some freak humanoid to touch, much less wed, you? I'd rather kiss a gorgon." He said.**

**Raven resisted the urge to make some derogatory comment and said instead, "Will you be able to find us? Because I don't think we're at the place we had gone to."**

**"I can find Rorek, and, if you're close enough, I'll be able to find you as well." He answered.**

**"Okay, but before you leave my room, there is an orb that holds some blackfire butterflies, take it and bring it with you to me." She said.**

**"Alright, but what is it?"**

**"Something we're going to need." Was all she told him.**

**"Very well then."**

**Raven hesitated only a moment, and then she pressed her hands upon Malchior's chest, feeling her own curse binding him into the book. She broke it easily, after all it _was_ her curse, and now all he had to do was leave this dream world and he would be free, which she had expected him to do the moment he realized she'd broken the curse.**

**He didn't leave at once, instead he took her wrists and moved them from his chest to around his neck. He pulled off the scarf over his face and bent down to kiss her. She decided to go ahead and let him, he was helping them after all. And it was short, maybe a little forceful, but he pulled away after a moment and said, "I'll come for you." Just before he disappeared.**

**The entire room began to fade away into darkness, a darkness which seemed to start to crack like class, as this dream world no longer had Malchior's magic to stabilize it. Suddenly it seemed to shatter around her, and then,**

She sat bolt upright, her mind all a whirl of pictures and distorted memories of what was happening, of what had happened. She and the others had been sucked into that abandoned church, Balegor was Brother Blood, therefore their enemy was Trigon and the Blood Clan. The other Titans were in the ancient ruins of what use to be Trigon's largest temple, she'd just freed Malchior and he was on his way to help, she hoped, and she was...in a dress.

Not only that, but she was on a lavish, king-sized bed with open draperies around it that showed her the rest of the room. It was large, very large, and everything had a theme of black and gothic design. From the walls to the wood of the four poster bed, everything was in shades of black, dark blue, dark red, and dark purple. Even the candles were black, and the light they gave off was much to white to be natural.

The dress she had on was black, the neckline, if you could call it that, exposed her shoulders while the sleeves seemed to split at the elbow and trail down a ways. The body of the dress was very form fitted, and, when she stood up, rose slightly in the front to show a little of her feet, but then trailed behind her. Along with the dress was jewelry, silver jewelry with dark gems, some of which she suspected were blood rubies.

Raven glared at herself in the full length mirror to her right. This was humiliating, what was she, some doll!? 

No, she was Trigon's daughter, a demonic princess of sorts, and the outfit was only expressing that fact. She hated it, but her previous clothing was nowhere to be found, so all she could do was tear off the earrings, necklaces, bracelets, and rings and throw them to the floor. She all but yanked the tiara off her head and flung it at the mirror. The glass broke, giving her a shattered view of herself.

She then took the shoes that had she was wearing off her feet. She broke the high heels off and put them back on. She wasn't going to walk around bare foot, but she was sure as heck not going to wear those ridiculous heels.

She marched to the door and, not even testing to see if it was locked or not, pulled it from the wall and flung it across the room so that it crashed into that bed with her black force. She found herself in a large room, which looked suspiciously like the dining room they had been ported to when everyone else had first met Balegor. She was slightly disappointed that she didn't see Balegor anywhere, instead there were men and women running about in black and gray clothing. Some had elaborate robes of these colors, priests no doubt, others were more basic robes, they would be apprentices, and more in dirty shafts, servants. But everything was darkly colored, but it seemed to have a theme of black and blood red as well.

A few people had suddenly noticed Raven leave the room she had been in, and let out a cry. She prepared herself to battle the entire room, but they did the last thing she was expecting. All at once, it seemed, everyone fell to their knees, touching their heads to the floor before her. This was more irritating than anything else, _but_ she didn't have to fight all of them, and she didn't at all see a problem walking on anyone in her way.

She decided to think quickly about this newfound information. Obviously they either didn't know that she loathed her father completely, or they were too afraid to do anything else. Both might be true, but whatever it was no one seemed inclined to question her. So she grabbed a boy in a shaft by the shoulder and forced him up. "Do you know where Balegor is?" She whispered with a hiss.

He gave her a fearful look, but nodded slowly.

"Take me to him." She ordered. He nodded again and began to walk across the room, shoulders hunched and head bowed low so that he didn't seem taller than she was. _Oh for crying out loud!_ She thought in exasperation.

* * *

Rorek staggered to the ground, choking and coughing as he pulled his scarf back up over his face. "Rorek?! You alright?" Robin asked, swiftly coming to his side. The humanoid swayed a bit, feeling dizzy as the stench was still overpowering, even through the scarf.

In a moment of uncontrolled rage, Rorek had destroyed the mural that told of that horrible prophecy, and behind it they had found a tunnel with stone steps leading downward. They had followed it, reaching a slightly unleveled passageway, hoping to find something of Raven's whereabouts. And then after an uncertain time period, it seemed they had passed through a wall, one in which the other side was filled with an impossibly powerful smell of blood, death, and...torture.

"I, I'm okay, but I think, we should turn back." He answered, covering his nose with his hand. "You cannot tell me you don't smell that." He said.

Robin sniffed, "I smell something funny, what is it?" He asked.

Beast Boy turned into a dog and gave the air a big whiff, and then he fell over in a faint, turning back into Beast Boy, "Blood dude, lots and lots of it!" He huffed out.

"Not just blood, but—" Suddenly the corridor was filled with a piercing, almost inhuman scream of pain. And then it gave an abrupt, and sickening stop. They could hear nothing more.

"Okay, I think that count's as: let's get the heck outta here!" Cyborg exclaimed.

"No! They might need our help, we can't just—" Robin tried.

"Dude, they just _died_, didn't you hear the sudden STOP!? Lets go!" Beast Boy exclaimed.

"There could be more that will need our help! And what if friend Raven is there as well?!" Starfire exclaimed.

"Don't worry, she's not in that exact room, but she _is_ in that direction." A low, yet slightly familiar voice said from behind. Everyone spun around in the tunnel, and gasped. He looked like Rorek, but his skin was pale, his hair was black, his eyes were red, bodysuit and scarf were dark violet, and his armor was black. He had an obscure orb under his left arm and a sword with a black crystal blade resting on his shoulder in his right hand.

"MALCHIOR!" Rorek suddenly roared, pushing his way to the front of them. "What are you doing here?! How did you get out?!" He demanded furiously. The Titans suddenly got into battle positions.

Malchior grinned to reveal a pointed tooth, "I got out myself, of course." He answered haughtily, "I figured that if you could break out of _your_ prison, than I could get out of mine as well."

"Uh, what's he talking about?" Asked Beast Boy.

Malchior's smirk broadened, he raised one finger from the sword hilt and waved it at Rorek, tisking as he did this. "So you told them the same lie, have you? Dear, dear, well _that's_ going to raise a few more trust issues, I'm sure. But, if we could, let's wait until _after_ we find Raven to get into another row, shall we? I certainly wouldn't want to be the one to tell her that we all died because we fought amongst ourselves and not against Trigon." He said.

"Alright, man, I never liked you from the beginning, but now you're start'n to get on my nerves!" Cyborg exclaimed, pointing his blaster at Malchior.

"No, Cyborg! Not in here!" Robin exclaimed.

"Yes, you'll alert the Blood Clan." Malchior snickered. He did a gesture with his left hand and suddenly the orb had disappeared, into some sort of a sub-space pocket no doubt.

"Wait, how have you come to acquire this information? We have not said anything about the demon, nor Raven's predicament." Starfire questioned.

"Yes, how _did_ you find out?" Rorek asked with a leer.

Malchior gave him a superior smile, "It's hard to miss when you won't shut your mental mouth. I got the idea from the prophecy you read off that mural, and from what you said afterwards. So I brought some backup." He said, bringing the dark sword from his shoulder and giving it a test slice before letting it rest at his side in his hand.

"That's Raven's isn't it? Why did you—?"

"Rorek, if you _really_ want to keep going at it, by all means, you can talk to my shadow. But _I_ am not waiting until Trigon has risen to suddenly shape up and get moving. If you will excuse me, I have over a thousand years of blood lust to satisfy." He said.

"As much as I hate to admit it, the Malchior is right. We must join forces in order to keep an even greater evil at bay." Starfire said. Rorek sighed, she was right, the best way to handle this now was to combine their powers, if only to save Raven. Afterwards, well, they'd have to see if there _was_ an afterwards first.

Malchior raised an eyebrow at her, "And just who said anything about 'joining forces'? Hm? All I want is Raven, the rest of you can go to—"

"Do you want Raven to rip out your heart and eat it?" Rorek questioned.

Malchior leered at him for a moment, but something seemed to have gave in and he said, "Oh very well, but can we hurry it up? I do hate being idle." He asked, walking past them so he could take the lead.

"By all means, you can go first man." Cyborg said.

"Hm, no doubt you're hoping I'll shield the rest of you from the brute of an attack." He said with a slight chuckle.

"I hope he gets a hernia." Beast Boy muttered. Everyone nodded in agreement at the same time.

* * *

"Go." Raven ordered the servant. He gratefully bowed low to her and then ran off as fast as he could. Apparently servants were wary of Brother Blood's personal chambers, and with reason. The huge black spider on the door wasn't exactly welcoming. Raven was planning on throwing the doors open and sending a fury of spells at the first breathing thing she saw, but she had not even touched the smooth black surface of the spider when the double doors opened themselves, causing the spider to split into two symmetrical halves.

"Come in, Lady Raven. We've been expecting you." Said the unmistakable voice of Balegor.

"Do you have any _idea_ how many times that line has been used in earth's media?" Raven said. Her usually monotone voice held an unsurprising edge to it as she walked into the room, her eyes glowing white. She wasn't even going to ask who the 'we' was, she'd expected the worst, and didn't doubt that Balegor could communicate directly to Trigon now.

Balegor chuckled, and she found him with his cloak pulled back away from his head and shoulders to expose his silvery skin and lavish robes. He sat at a table for two with a wine glass in his hand. "Always so cynical, come, sit. Relax, you are the queen of this castle." He said, moving the other chair out for her with a wave of his hand.

"And you are a little too sure of yourself." She responded. She narrowed her eyes at the chair, and the next moment it shattered into a million pieces. "Shall we dance?" She asked, her dark energy engulfed her hands, the force she called forth caused her hair and stray parts of her dress to flow about.

"I would love to." He answered standing up to summon his own violet energy force. "Vigor, Divinitas, Nox." He chanted.

"Azarath, Metrion, Zynthos!" She cried, letting her black energy flow from her body to engulf the room. "Draco Tempetas!" The dark energy began to take a form of several small but fierce dragons, which began to encircle Balegor in a predator like fashion.

"Caedes Sacro!" He raised his hands to the ceiling, and a red energy suddenly came from a huge black gem upon his wall, feeding into him through his hands. His violet energy changed to a blood red, as did his eyes. He let out a cry, almost of pain, and his power was unleashed upon the dragons as they attacked, obliterating them into nothing, and also sending Raven flying back into the now-closed doors. "I can dance all night, my dear." He said haughtily, the red energy still coursing throughout his person.

"Hn, two can play at that game." Raven hissed as she stood up, she crossed her hands in front of her and began to chant, "Sanguineus Factus Spiritus, Factus Cendere, Factus Aura, Factus Aqua," Balegor's expression began to fall as he watched her, recognition was beginning to done in his eyes, "Factus Ventulus, Factus Humus, Factus Fulmineus," She continued, watching as Balegor's face began to twist in fear.

"NO!" He yelled.

"Factus Lux, Factus Nox, Factus Mortis!" She finished in a cry, her body suddenly became infused with an immeasurable power, bursting from her being, pulsing all around the room, and inflicting damage upon Balegor before she even lashed out at him herself.

"Master! Master save me!" Balegor screamed.

"No one can save you now. Tandem Mortis!" She exclaimed, unleashing all of the power she had summoned upon one particular focus point: Balegor.

* * *

Malchior brandished his sword upon the last filthy humanoid who had dared to challenge him. He watched with meager satisfaction as the priest fell, blood gushing from his wound, the dark sword not only killing him, but causing his body to deteriorate much faster because of the life force it zapped from the victim. The only thing that disappointed him was the fact that Raven probably wasn't going to let him keep it.

"Man, can you _possibly_ make this movie any _gorier_?!" Beast Boy exclaimed, looking sick to his stomach.

"I can always try." He answered, adjusting the scarf over his face. He was much more use to the smell of blood and decay than Rorek was, but the smell that came from the bodies the dark sword was causing to rot at an accelerated rate was almost overpowering, even to him. And Rorek had only remained conscious due to the fact that he was holding his nose, through the scarf, and breathing solely through his mouth.

And it wasn't all his doing either.

Bodies, corpses, and only slightly recognizable masses of flesh littered the torture chamber. And the smell wasn't the worst of it, however hard that might be to believe. The implements and instruments that encompassed the area seemed to be from many eras, modified with technology it seemed. He could place what most of it did, likely the only other one who could was Rorek. Of course, some of the instruments hadn't been cleaned up quite yet, so it was fairly obvious what they did.

And of course, their only female happened to be a princess who could feel a pea under ten mattresses and was out cold with horror. The little birdie was currently carrying her.

"This is _sick_. How long did these people live?" Robin asked.

"Two years, probably. Oh, I'm _sorry_, you wanted the kiddie version didn't you? In that case they lived for only two days." Malchior mocked.

"This is _not_ the time, let's just get out of here, and try not to look at anything e—"

"_Heeeeeelp_!" Several voices rasped at one time. There was a shrill scream, which caused Malchior to turn around and look at the three remaining Titans in question. Robin and Cyborg pointed to Beast Boy, who was out cold on the floor.

"Dear gods! They're still alive!!!" Rorek exclaimed, running over to try and undo the elaborate mechanism.

"_Please, just kill us._" Said one of them, who's face looked little more than chopped up meat.

"_We can't be saved._" Said the one Rorek was trying to release.

"No, we can help y—" Robin began.

"No you can't, and even if you could! They'd need a healer right away, and even then most of them would have to live their lives with the horrors they've faced here. Besides, we don't have time to waste. So if you want to help, just kill them swiftly and be done with it." Malchior snapped.

"_Please..._" The woman begged.

Rorek stopped and nodded regretfully, "Alright." He said. He then grabbed her neck and swiftly snapped it.

"Rorek! What do you think you're doing?!?!" Robin demanded.

"Sometimes death is a better alternative! We can do no more than release them from this!" Rorek answered, moving to the next person. "Cyborg, help me. Make sure they're all dead, and try to make it swift." He said.

"Hey man, I don't do that I—"

"Oh, for Ryuujin's sake!" Malchior cried. He gave the sword in his hand a virtical swipe, and unleashed the deadly energy he had gathered upon anything that was half-dead, or more, already. "Alright, they're dead, can we _go_ now?!" He growled. He didn't wait for a response, he turned and went through the other door at a brisk pace.

"This isn't right...." Cyborg said.

"No it's not, but it's all we can do." Rorek told him. "Come on," He said, leading the way after Malchior.

But suddenly a wall came down over the exit, blocking their way out. Rorek, Cyborg, and Robin turned around. The entrance they had come into the room from now looked like another part of the wall as well. But other secret doors were opening, and footsteps could be heard approaching.

_Stupid,_ she thought, _Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid._ She continued to mentally smack herself as she grabbed the closest article of furniture she could and pull herself off the ground. Her legs wobbled and her arms could hardly lift her weight on a normal basis, much less now. She fell back to the floor.

The chant had granted her more power than she had ever imagined, but it left her drained and week. Channeling so much power usually had higher consequences, but thankfully she was neither dead nor did it seem she was going to have a heart attack. Somehow it seemed she had gotten strong enough to complete the chant efficiently, though it helped that she'd read that entire book by now and didn't try it when she was still only half way.

She let herself lay on the floor for a while, barely conscious, and only through extreme will power was she able to pull herself up to her feet. But the chant might as well have killed her.

Balegor was wounded and staggering, pain apparent on his face, but he was _alive_. He was still alive! But it wasn't possible! She'd unleashed a final spell, forbidden and dark yes, but it should have at least killed him! And there he was, walking towards her, and she now helpless to do anything but try and stagger away.

"I wish I had known you were so powerful." He grunted, grabbing her, "But you can't have much more power to defend yourself after that. Seems the dance is over."

"How did you survive?!" She demanded, trying with all her might to keep him from pulling her over to the table, where it seemed the other chair had somehow been mended.

"Well now, wouldn't you like to know? Now sit _down_ and stop being so difficult!" He ordered, forcing her into the chair. She tried to get back up, but not only was she far too exhausted to move, much less fight, he had bound her with a violet chain of energy. "This is your destiny, Raven." He said, sitting himself down into the other chair. He then turned his head to the massive black gem, and smirked. Curiosity forced Raven to look as well. Her eyes widened in shock and horror. "Well, well," Balegor said, "Seems your friends have found the Torture room."

"Wake up you two, this is no time to be sleep'n!" Cyborg said, spraying water from his reserves on to the faces of Beast Boy and Starfire. Thankfully, they were revived, and saw that they were also surrounded.

The titans stood in a circle, their backs to each other in a battle position. There had to be over fifty Blood Clan priests surrounding them, each preparing their own spells, week yes, but they were also high in numbers. And then the crowd parted in one section to allow a familiar teenage girl through, her short choppy hair now a bubblegum pink, and her usually colorful outfit had become a collection of reds and blacks. "Miss me?" She asked with a giggle.

"Zacroma! You're with _them_?!" Robin demanded.

"I thought you were with H.I.V.E.!" Beast Boy exclaimed.

"I _was_, but I decided to leave after meeting that _cute_ mystic! And besides, they actually pay me with gold and jewels, quite a step up from H.I.V.E.! Though of course Jinx had to be a little witch before I left, but all in all, I like this position more." She said boastingly.

"Man, I know you're evil and all, but how can you participate in something like this?!" Beast Boy demanded, pointing to one of the corpses.

"Oh what, you mean the torture? It _does_ take a special type of person to be able to watch someone being tortured." She said with an airy voice, "Thankfully I'm that kind of person." She lifted her hands into the air. A blue light shot from them, and became a wall of jail bars. The priests swiftly vacated the space behind them, and before anyone could react it shoved them all back, until they were crushed into the stone surface of the wall. More bars seemed to grow and form from her blue light, and suddenly they were trapped.

Now Rorek saw what the priests were all preparing, as each of them cast their spells upon the cage. They weren't offensive spells, they were trapping spells. Which wouldn't have been a problem for Rorek to get through, if he had been pushed back by the wall as well. Now the priests were circling him, and Zacroma seemed to be preparing something else. He began to form a spell in his hands, but something told him it would be useless.

* * *

A/N: IMPORTANT NOTE! PLEASE READ!!! Before I wrote the rough draft for this, as I have stated before, I had not watched very many TT episodes, and so I did not know that they had fought against Trigon previously, so I have no idea how all that worked out. So just work with me here, and let's say I'm doing my own thing and my own interpretation of what I've read up on Raven in the original series. (Is it obvious I don't particularly like Brother Blood?)

Ahem! Now,

Twilight Shards: Heheh, sorry, but we're getting into some deep plot here, so there'll be cliffies for a bit! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

Raven002: Hey now! I update once every 1 to 2 days, that's a lot more than some people! Lol, but thanks for the enthusiasm all the same. It's nice to know people appreciate my work this much.

Red Moon Kree: GLEE!!! I shall be awaiting your next chapter, and while I do so I shall scream at my inbox to give me you're update alert. ("GIMME GIMME GIMME!!! GAAAAAAAAH!!!")

K. C. Whitestar: Wow, a patient reader, that's not something you see every day, not even _I_ am patient while waiting for stories to update. I bow before the strength of your virtue. (Bowing motions)

Pixie10111: Hm, I would, but I'd have to take some precious time to edit all those chapters, and at this point doing so wouldn't be very beneficial to my health as I can imagine pitchforks and torches at my front door. Ahem, anyways, Yay! I'm a good girl! (Grins broadly) Do I get a treat for finishing the story? (Puppy dog eyes)

Well, that's all I had to say, now I must go and get my little ball of fire off my shelves. ("YUME! Get off of there right now!!!")


	14. Demon Blood

A/N: Kiddies beware! If you are easily disturbed and/or scared by even little parts of torture I'd suggest you not read this part. However, if a little physical agony doesn't bother you so long as it isn't happening to _you_, then read on for it's not _that_ descriptive.

* * *

_For whom the gun tolls  
For whom the prey weeps  
Bow before a war  
Call it religion_

"Stop..." Raven's hands gripped the arms of the chair so that her nails broke and her fingers became bloody.

_Some wounds never heal  
Some tears never will  
Dry for the unkind  
Cry for mankind_

She tried to put her hands over her eyes, but the screaming didn't stop, if anything it intensified. "Stop it, leave him alone..." She chocked. But a cruel harsh laugh added to the screams.

_Even the dead cry  
- Their only comfort  
Kill your friend, I don't care  
Orchid kids, blinded stare_

She couldn't keep her eyes away any longer, her hands came down of their own accord and her eyes were once again fixed upon the massive jewel which was acting as a screen. Tears began to obscure her vision.

_Need to understand  
No need to forgive  
No truth no sense left to be followed_

They burned him, cutting parts of his skin as if they were dissecting some dead frog, and then placing a white hot coal upon the muscle. They forced his eyes to stay open while they burned them as well. They stuck him with needles that pumped boiling water into his veins.

_"Facing this unbearable fear like meeting an old friend"  
"Time to die, poor mates, You made me what I am!"_

Then they poured nearly frozen water upon him, causing the burns to seer and crack his skin open and make him bleed even more. They touched dry ice to him, cutting out his skin and placing it upon the muscle.

_"In this world of a million religions everyone prays the same way"  
  
"Your praying is in vain It'll all be over soon"  
"Father help me, save me a place by your side!"  
"There is no god Our creed is but for ourselves"_

He screamed, he tried so hard not to, but it came out and he couldn't stop it. "Stop..." Raven tried again.

_"Not a hero unless you die Our species eat the wounded ones"  
  
"Drunk with the blood of your victims  
I do feel your pity-wanting pain,  
Lust for fame, a deadly game"_

Tears were flowing freely and shamelessly from her face. Her head pounded behind her eyes with every second, with every image entering her mind. She felt his pain in herself. Why? Why couldn't it be her there instead of him? He had nothing to do with this! Nothing...

_"Run away with your impeccable kin!"  
  
"- Good wombs hath borne bad sons..."  
- Cursing, God, why?  
Falling for every lie  
Survivors' guilt  
In us forevermore_

"STOP IT!!!" She suddenly cried in a voice that was not her own. The chains that bound her to the chair seemed to shatter around her as she lunged for Balegor. She grabbed him before he could do anything, Rorek's screams intensifying her rage and she flung him across the room. He hit the wall and fell to the ground. But she was there the next instant. She grabbed him by the neck and hit him against the wall again, pinning him there. She could hardly see, everything seemed to be consumed in red, but she knew where Balegor was.

"Make them stop!" A foreign voice ordered from her mouth, "Or I swear you will regret the day you were born!" She hissed.

But he smiled, he smiled. Rorek gave out one last scream, and then it stopped, it just...stopped. He was...they...no...

_15 candles  
Redeemers of this world  
Dwell in hypocrisy:  
"How were we supposed to know"_

Balegor dropped to the floor without her ever realizing she'd let him go. Faintly she felt something solid hit her back. She could see nothing, hear nothing. Her mind was breaking, as her heart had already been crushed. Tears continued to flow from her eyes, and then everything seemed to shatter.

* * *

Zacroma was guarding her cage, but she had her back turned to them, seems she didn't want to miss the show.

Rorek's screams rang in their ears, Starfire was curled up in a ball in the corner, sobbing uncontrollably. Beast Boy was with her, trying to act the part of the protecting male since Robin wasn't doing it, but he looked like he needed someone to hold him as well. Cyborg was still trying to bust through the cage, but no matter what he did the metal didn't bend, nor did it seem inclined to give way at all. It must have been the magic those mages had put upon it. But Robin was glaring at Zacroma.

Okay, she was a bad guy, he could deal with that. She had fought against them with H.I.V.E., she's not gonna like them too much after making a failure out of her. So she switched from one evil to an even greater evil, not the most uncommon of actions. But to just stand by and watch them do those things to Rorek as if it were some sort of amusing past time, what kind of a monster was she?!

Suddenly, it appeared they had stopped, as Rorek was no longer crying out. Robin looked over, and saw, to his surprise, that the priests who were currently doing the torture were now removing all implements. They had let Rorek pass out, and were actually treating the wounds that they had created. They sewed his skin back up and rubbed salves and soothers upon his flesh. One of them put his hand over one eye, and when he removed it the eye looked whole again. He put his hand over the other eye and did the same.

Suddenly Robin's attention was averted by Zacroma leaning against the cage, if he could get his arm through the bars he could...

But then she did something that caused all of them to stare, even Starfire and Beast boy. She pulled out four sets of...beads, beaded necklaces, from out of seemingly nowhere and held them through the bars. She jingled them slightly, indicating that they were suppose to take them. "Put them on." She whispered through the corner of her mouth.

Dumbfounded, Robin took the strings of beads. Then Zacroma scooted over to where she had put the door of the cage, and grabbed the small box that locked the door to the cage in her hand. It came off easily, and she let it melt to the floor. She then began to walk up to where the priests were fixing Rorek, her posture and air playful, but they saw her make two blade-guard daggers behind her back.

"Awww, done already?" She asked with a pout.

"We have done what was needed, but we must keep him alive in case there is a cause for him. The others, however, we can dispose of." Said one of them.

"Well, you know what I think?" She asked, getting close to the ear of the same preist in a seductive manner, "I think, we should keep them all alive." She said, she then drove a dagger into the back of his neck and, before any of the others realized what she had just done, the Titans were on them.

"ROSARY! ROSARY!" They screamed when they tried to inflict damage. Robin had decided to make everyone put on the necklaces, and now he realized why they were needed. For some reason the magic of these people was repelled by the beads and sent right back to them. Physical contact, also, caused their skin to burn.

Zacroma's air had suddenly changed from haughty and preppy, to serious and competent. She came out with moves using those daggers in complex ways that none of the titans had ever seen before. But they weren't going to argue.

Starfire ripped off all the things that kept Rorek on it with such fury she destroyed the thing before actually being able to grab the humanoid dragon from his place.

When all of the 5 priests were down everyone just sort of stared at Zacroma. She pulled out the beads that she herself was wearing, "Rosary, repells evil beings like demons. The Blood Clan members have all gone through a ritual that requires they inject demon blood into their systems. And if they live they're Blood Clan material. So rosary repels their spells and any harm they try to do. Works really well too. Now come on, we don't have much time." She said, jerking her head to where the door use to be, but still she ran towards it.

"Hey wait a moment! How do we know we can tru—"

"Hm, what could I have planned that would be worse that torture till death?" She asked, giving Cyborg a look, "You're not exactly in a position to be choosy about who helps you." She said.

"But, but, since when were you on our side?!" Beast Boy exclaimed.

Zacroma gave the wall a good kick, and then it began to rise back into the ceiling, revealing the other passage once more. "I've always been on your 'side', I just couldn't let anyone know that, not even you." She answered. "Now, are you coming? Or do I leave you here for when the next batch of priests come to check up on what's going on?" She asked.

"But what about him?" Cyborg asked, gesturing to Rorek, who was being supported by Starfire.

"Oh, he's fine, conscious even. He's just been paralyzed, it'll wear off in a few minutes." She pulled out another string of beads, "Here, put this on him." She said, tossing it to Robin.

"Alright, we're going to trust you for now. So what's the plan?" Robin asked.

"We find you're friend Raven and snap her out of her current demonic state, then we battle Trigon and pray to any god who will listen that we either survive, or at least take him down with us." She answered.

"I don't like this plan." Beast Boy said.

Rorek grunted, "We don't have much choice." He wheezed out.

"Rorek! Hey, you alright buddy?" Cyborg asked.

"I'll live, let's just find Raven." He answered.

"Right, walk this way please." Zacroma instructed.

* * *

"Master! We have done it! You are free!" Balegor cried in triumph. A gigantic, red-skinned arm with long yellow nails came out of the enormous jewel upon the wall. It grabbed the edge of the wall, and then the mirror of the same arm came out to grab the other side. Then a leg, and another leg, and finally the head. Long, pointed teeth lined the jaw, long black hair fell from the forehead, and two bull-like horns crowned both sides of the skull. Four yellow eyes, one set below the brow, and the other above, looked down at their owner's high priest. The humanoid was no taller than the length of his hand, and the ceiling, though it was very high by normal standards, still made him have to stoop.

"**Well done, Brother Blood."** The creature's raspy, yet booming voice echoed. Then his eyes fell upon the sprawled form of his daughter. He opened his mouth and let red ribbons of light emit from it, surrounding his being in their blood-like embrace. Trigon began to shrink, slowly becoming smaller while his horns shortened, his fangs turned into teeth, his skin changed from red to sheet white. When the spell finished. He looked less like the devil, and more like a large, muscular man. His horns gone, his facial features smoothed, and his teeth having a more vampiric look than demonic, he looked almost completely different.

"Master, your robes?" Brother Blood asked. He bowed low before Trigon and lifted the lavish clothing up to his master.

"**Yes, these will do."** He answered, putting them on himself. He looked at his reflection in the mirror. Without the horns to hold it back, his long hair had come forward and was framing his face to give it an even more humanoid, as well as handsome, look. He then turned his attention to his daughter.

Brother Blood was about to pick her up and bring her to him, but Trigon waved him away and knelt before the girl himself. **"Ah, my lovely Raven."** He pushed the hair obscuring her features away from her face so he could caress her cheek, **"How do you feel?"** He asked.

The girl's hands, once pale, but now sheet white like her father's, came up to hold the demon's muscular arm. **"Good, Father, better than good."** She said, her eyes opened, glowing red, to look up at him. And then a second set of red eyes opened from above her brow.

Trigon helped his daughter stand up, and she smiled at him, exposing her own set of fangs. Her hair was darkening with each passing breath, and was also becoming longer. **"Father,"** She began, holding his hand to her cheek.

"**Yes Raven?"**

"**I really don't like who you chose to be Brother Blood."** She said.

Balegor's eyes widened as his master and his supposed 'bride' turned to look at him, smirking. His heart seemed to stop, he was frozen in fear.

* * *

Malchior kicked over the already decaying priestess, feeling irritated now. Yes, he enjoyed a good fight, best if it was long and challenged his abilities, but this was becoming monotonous. Not only were these small battles short, but these humans were so pathetic that after his 100th kill it was all becoming extremely boring. And where was Rorek and his little friends? Surely they'd caught up with him by now! It's not like he left any obstacles in their wake. Malchior scratched his arm, and then grabbed it. he looked down at it, no blood, but he felt something. In fact, now that he stopped to pay attention, he felt the same in different parts of his body. What was that suppose to mean?

He brushed it off as being rusty from so many decades in that book. He cracked his neck and then kicked down the door.

"But, this can't be, you must be joking, I have spent my life making myself worthy of being your betrothed, I have preformed countless rituals, studied to become the highest priest, and have done nothing but what the master has ordered me! Lady Raven, it is our destiny to be together, you are the daughter of Trigon, and I am Brother Blood—" A voice was saying.

"Oh really? Well this seems to be my lucky day as I was just looking for you." Malchior said, stepping into the grand hall, or rather throne room to be exact. Upon a large black crystal throne sat Raven. Only she was different. Her skin was sheet white, what he could see of it anyway, and her hair had turned black, and was covering her face as she was slumped over in a position that made it seem as though she had passed out sitting up.

Brother Blood, or rather Balegor, jumped upon seeing him enter. "Y-you! How did you ge-why are you—what in Lucifer's name!?" He stammered. "Heathen! You dare enter the Throne Room?! You shall be cursed!!!" He cried.

Malchior was on him the next second. He held Balegor up with one arm and pinned him to the wall, the sword being held in a dangerous position in his other hand. Fear crossed Balegor's features. "And just who are you to tell me where I can and can't enter? Hm? I am here to take Raven back, and you just happen to be in the way, so what exactly do you think I'm going to do with you?" He asked tauntingly.

"Y-you, you're the darkness of that dragon, aren't you?" Balegor asked, looking desperate.

"And what of it? That's only going to make your death a lot more painful you realize."

"No wait! You can, you can become a part of the Blood Clan, you already have dark blood in you, and, the master would grant you power." He gasped.

Malchior raised an eyebrow and let the man drop to the ground, "Alright, tell me more." He said.

Balegor gasped, then stood up, now feeling more confident he gave Malchior a small smile, "Yes, if you joined us, you would be rewarded. You are very powerful, and you're darkness will allow you the ability to use spells from the Book of Blood." He tilted his head towards the sword, "The master, can give you things even greater than that sword."

Malchior gave him an unimpressed smirk, "I don't much care for all of that," He said, Balegor's face lost its silvery color. "All I want is Raven, and you are in my way, so," He raised the sword.

"No! No wait! You can have her too!" Balegor exclaimed. Malchior raised an eyebrow, indicating that he should continue, but he didn't lower the sword quite yet. "Well, it's more that she can have you. But you could still be with her. It is written that she and I must be wed, but that does not mean she cannot have another as well." He said. "And Trigon would be most pleased." He added, seeing how Malchior looked like he was really considering it.

"Hmmmm, no." The dark dragon said abruptly. He then brought his other fist around and knocked Balegor to the floor. "I don't like to share." He added, resting the sword on his shoulder.

"...M-Malchior?" A voice whispered. The next instant Malchior was at the throne. Raven's face was just barely visible through her hair, but her blue eyes were pleading, and her arms were shakily reaching out for him.

He tossed the sword out of the way and gathered her up in his arms. She buried her face in his chest and held on to him, as if for dear life. "Don't worry now, Love, I promised I would come for you." He whispered.

She lifted her head to look at him, her eyes were so pleading, what had they done to her?! She raised her hands to caress the back of his head, running her hands into his hair and bringing it down to her. She'd never kissed him before, it had always been him, and only once had she not fought against it. It had been rather unlike her to even let him that one time, and this was just flat out of character.

Not that he was complaining.

It was passionate, but full of lust and hunger, which would have been alright, had it been mostly on his part. As it was, she pushed herself closer to him, deepening the kiss. Then she started to kiss his chin, licking it as well, and she continued on down his neck. He groaned with pleasure, that is until an all-too-familiar pare of teeth pierced his skin.

Again he became helpless, unable to fight, barely able to even breath. "Raven..." He got out in a raspy whisper. His vision was beginning to cloud, now she was holding him up as she continued to feed. When she released him, he fell to the floor, unconscious.

"**Feeling better, Raven?"** Came a voice, immerging from a room behind the throne.

"**Much better, Father."** The girl answered, using her fingers to help her lick up the blood from her chin. **"His blood gives me a lot of power, and it tastes much better than Balegor's."** She said.

Trigon turned to Brother Blood, who had regained consciousness by then and was scrambling to his feet. "M-master!" He exclaimed.

"**You are a bungling idiot, Balegor."** Trigon suddenly said, causing the man to stop short of his tracks. **"I saw that from the beginning. The only thing you were good for was rituals. You continuously failed in all combat, having to call upon my strength, when I already had so little that I could use through the barrier. You are not fit to be Brother Blood. Yes, perhaps your body is, but ****you are hardly worthy."** He said.

"B-but, I'm, I'm the only one you have!" He exclaimed.

Trigon leered at him, **"Really? Well, you said so yourself, the dragon is quite fit to become part of the Blood Clan, and he is far more worthy to be Brother Blood than you are."** He said.

"B-b-but, y-you can't!" He gasped out.

"**DON'T TELL ME WHAT I CAN AND CANNOT DO!!!"** Trigon roared, the force sending Balegor flying back into the wall. **"It will take but a simple ritual for him to become suitable. But, I suppose I can still give you a roll of high honor in this prophecy."** He said with consideration.

"Y-yes master! P-please, let me serve you still!" Balegor gasped out.

"**You can become the food for my daughter's child."** Trigon said. The doors then burst open with several priests, there upon Trigon's bidding.

Balegor's eyes widened in fear. "NO! No master please!!!" He begged as he was dragged away. "Anything else!!! Please Master! I beg you!!!" He yelled. But Trigon only laughed cruelly as he was carried away.

"**Father..."** Raven sighed, holding Malchior closely to her.

"**Yes, my Raven?"** Trigon asked.

"**I want them both, Father. I want Malchior and Rorek."** She said.

"**Then you will have them both, but only Malchior can become Brother Blood."** Trigon said.

"**I don't care. Just make them bring Rorek to me too."** She told him.

"**Very well."**

* * *

"Looks like Malchior was having fun." Beast Boy observed.

Zacroma sweatdropped, "Uuuuuh, who? Did you find another Titan already?" She asked.

"No, he's uh..." Robin trailed off.

"He's my 'evil twin'." Rorek answered. "Only recently was he able to escape from his prison, and so he came here because he sensed Raven was in trouble."

"Alright, alright, but if he is your evil twin, shouldn't he hate Raven because you—?" She began.

"Quite the opposite." He said.

Suddenly there was a gasp, and a squeal, "I knew it! Rorek you are in love with Raven, are you not?!" Starfire exclaimed.

"Uh, Star? This isn't exactly the time." Robin pointed out.

"Oh forgive me..." Starfire said, blushing slightly.

"You say Malchior did this?" Asked Zacroma, her voice sounded concerned as she examined the wound of one of the corpses.

"Uh, yeah, that's Malchior's doing." Answered Beast Boy.

"Did he have a, a weapon?" She asked.

"Yeah, he got this sword from Raven's room, that's where the book he was sealed in was, so he—" Beast Boy answered.

"FROM RAVEN'S ROOM?!" Zacroma suddenly yelled. "Of all the, WHAT WAS HE THINKING?! If there was one thing he could have done to make Trigon unstoppable..." She yelled, pulling on her hair.

"What is it?" Asked Rorek.

"The dark sword, the one with the black crystal blade? Yeah, that's Trigon's sword! If he ever gets hold of it again...Well, I'll let you fill in the blanks. Come on, let's follow your friend's trail." She said, now going off at a swift run. The other's sprinted to catch up.

* * *

"**Ah, I have indeed missed this sword."** Said Trigon, performing test slashes on the air with the black crystal blade in his hand. **"Raven, would you please leave your pet long enough to join me in a duel?"** Asked the demon, sounding rather exasperated.

Raven still had the unconscious Malchior in her arms. Most of him was sprawled across the bed, but she held the upper part of him close so she could caress his cheek or twirl his long black hair in her fingers. And she wasn't willing to just put him down like that. **"I cannot, there is no point to it. You always win, I can never come close to defeating you."** She said.

"**Then I might let you win. Come, Raven, he is a pet, and that is all he will be until he becomes Brother Blood. And even then. Such attention will spoil him."** He said.

Raven gave her father a pout, **"But he is a new pet, Father, and I am still a child who cannot let go of her newest toy so soon after she has obtained it."** She said.

He sighed, **"Very well then...hm, speaking of which, I wonder why it is taking so long for the other half of your new toy to get here."** He said. He then waved his hand over the gigantic jewel and the darkness spread open to reveal the Teen Titans running down one of the halls, with Zacroma in the lead. **"And I liked her so, pity she had to be a traitor."** He sighed.

"**What shall we do with her then?"** Asked Raven.

"**She's too valuable a component to us to slip through our fingers. We'll just taint her."** He answered.

"**And the others?"** She asked.

Trigon snickered, **"The rest, other than Rorek, will be excellent vessels for my seeds."**

Malchior let out a small grunt, and he shifted slightly in her arms. She bent down and licked the edge of his cheekbone. Trigon gave a small sigh, **"I suppose I will leave you alone with him. But I do promise to have Rorek for you soon, even if I have to get him myself."**

"**Don't trouble yourself so, Father." **She said before he left.

"Mmnnn...Raven?" Malchior whispered. His eyes fluttered open and he saw Raven, only, it wasn't raven. Her eyes...her eyes were little more than glowing slits of red, and there were four of them...but...she was, beautiful. With her hair so long, her skin like porcelain, her lips so full and red, and that dress...she was beautiful, not in a very human way, but then, he wasn't exactly human either.

"Yes?" Her voice answered softly as she continued to caress his face and kiss his neck.

"You...you're..." He began.

"A demon?"

"Beautiful." He finished.

Raven stopped for a moment at these words, but only for a moment. Suddenly she was on top of him, kissing him, on the lips this time, relentlessly. He returned it, wrapping his arms around her and practically crushing her to his chest.

* * *

A/N: Sooooo, how'd ja like it? Demonic enough for your tastes? It's probably a little heavy for a cartoon fanfic, but that's what the pg-13 rating is for!

Twilight Shards: Oooooh I have something very interesting planed for this particular love triangle :D. I think you guys are gonna like it too. MUAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

TheDarkAzar: I can? YAY!!! I always liked the moon. Even though Saturn has a lot more moons. Hey, you want Titan when I take over? It's the only moon in the solar system that has an atmosphere, perfect for alchemy practices!

KuteVirgo: Hey thanks! That means a lot to me, really.

Pixie10111: And I will certainly hold you to that! And because I have these words in writing you can't hurt me when I do! . ...4th story? ., okay maybe a 3rd story but...4th? That's a little much....Maybe if I get enough inspiration for another plotline...

Kokuryu: ALRIGHT! Well, that clears up a lot of stuff, so this story works!!! It doesn't have to be an AU, YAY!!! And thanks for the support, I hope you enjoyed this chapter as well .

Hmmm, that's all I have to say right now.


	15. Blackfire Butterflies

A/N: (Opens Mouth) (Closes it again) You know what? I'm not even gonna bother.

* * *

"Raven?"

"**Hmm?"**

"I don't mean to interrupt, but even I have a certain limit to how well I can suppress my curiosity. Exactly, _what_ is going on?" Malchior asked.

Raven chuckled slightly, **"Haven't you already guessed? I am free now, I have released myself from my _human_ thoughts. My father is no longer limited to his own dimension, and all of space and time will be ours to control."** She kissed him deeply.

"And Balegor?" He questioned, a distinct edge to his voice.

She chuckled again. **"Has been, how shall we say? Demoted."**

"As in?"

"**He is no longer Brother Blood."** She added.

"Alright, so the Brother Blood thing was changed?" He asked.

Again she chuckled, **"No, _you_ are going to be Brother Blood."** She answered.

Malchior's eyes widened and his lips fell to an awkward frown, "Uh, okay we have a problem th—"

Raven slipped her hands under the cloth of his shirt, causing the skin on his back to tingle, while she silenced him by pressing her lips to his and kissing him hungrily. When they parted once more she smirked at him, **"Hm?"**

"That really is not fair, Love." He said. She snickered. "Just one thing,"

"**What is it?"**

"Exactly, what is this and why did you want it?" He questioned, once again unearthing the orb that held the blackfire butterflies she had wanted him to get.

Raven's eyes seemed to cloud when she saw it, it was as if she'd forgotten him entirely as she reached out for the orb. When she took it in her hands she got off of him, sitting up on the bed and staring at it as if she were in a trance. Malchior looked at her, and then at the orb. Suddenly it seemed as if the butterflies had multiplied, and they were flying around in a livid motion, their blackfire wings seemed to be burning more furiously, their red bodies seeming to glow.

"Love?" he tried, putting his hand on her. But none of her four eyes turned to him, she kept staring at the orb. "Raven!" He shook her, getting slightly worried now.

Suddenly, she seemed to snap out of her trance, the red glow of her eyes died down, and now he could see blue pupils, in all four of them. She stared at him, blinking in confusion, "Malchior? What are you—what am _I_ doing here?!" She exclaimed, looking down at herself.

"Raven? Hm, seems you're back to normal...pity." Malchior said, slipping off the bed to retrieve his chest plate.

"Shut up." She growled, glaring at him as she too got off the thing. "I know I'm going to regret asking this but, what happened?" She asked him.

"Honestly? I do not know. What I _do_ know is that when I found you, well, you were already acting strangely, but you bit me again." He said, rubbing his neck where the bandage was, "And then I wake up and you're, well you're _demonic_. Then I handed you the orb and here you are." He told her.

"The orb? What or—the orb!" She suddenly exclaimed, remembering she had something in her arm. "Malchior, I could kiss you." She said.

"Oh don't worry, you already did." He said with a smirk.

Again she glared at him, "I did not need to know that." She said.

"Oh well you did a little more than just kiss me!"

"_Shut up_!" She hissed, her face growing hot with embarrassment. "And if you tell anyone I'll give you _another_ bite!"

He snickered, "Yes Love. Just one thing, how come you still look, er, demonic?" he asked.

Raven's eyes widened, she then waved her hand over her brow, suddenly realizing she could see there. She ran over to the mirror to look at herself, "Oh _gods_ no." She said with a pained expression on her face.

Malchior slipped his arms around her shoulders from behind, "Well I don't know about you but _I_ like it." He said, kissing the edge of her jaw.

She twitched and glared at him from the mirror, "You have _got_ to be joking." She said.

"Certainly not! It may be different from your original self, but it's still you all the same." He answered.

"Malchior?"

"Yes Love?"

"Get your hands off me."

"Hnhn, very well."

* * *

"Should've known it wouldn't be so easy." Zacroma sighed, looking out the barred window of their new cell door. The cell itself wasn't the problem, it was the huge number of guards on the other side of the door that was the problem. Guards that had been able to resist the effects of the rosary beads and take them from them.

"I don't guess you have anything more powerful on you?" Asked Cyborg.

"Just a crucifix, and that's hardly enough to ward off _all_ of them." She answered.

"What about holy water?" Robin asked.

"Only works on pure evil. Might blind them if it got in their eyes, but that's about it. Besides, I'm saving it for Trigon." She answered, suddenly pulling out a huge, complex looking gun from nowhere.

"Whoa! Why didn't you tell me you had that?!" Cyborg exclaimed.

"It's a super soaker, _dude_." She said. "I was just showing you what I'm using."

"Oh...I knew that." He said.

"Right. Okay, so now what?" Beast Boy asked.

Zacroma looked back through the bars, pursing her lips in thought. "Alright, here's the pl—what tha heck?!" She suddenly exclaimed, eyes widening in shock. She then flattened herself against the wall beside the door, her eyes wide and her face pale. "Oh crap, ohcrapohcrapohcrap!" She huffed.

"What? What is i—" Beast Boy asked, about to look.

"_Don't_ _look through that window_!" Zacroma suddenly hissed pulling him away. "Alright, guys, whatever you do _don't_ look straight into his eyes. It'll be hard because he has four of them, but trust me, _don't_." She instructed fiercely. "Get over there. There's only one thing I can think that would make him come here, and that would be to put seeds in us. So whatever you do, _don't_ let him touch you." She said.

"Who?" Asked Robin.

"Who do you_ think_?" She hissed, "Now _ssssshhh_!" She said, holding the super soaker in a ready position. She then waited, they all waited, the rest of them standing against the farthest wall from the door, hardly even breathing.

"Y-yes master!" Stuttered a nearing voice from outside. "Right away!" the sound of keys fumbling could be heard outside the door. And then it opened.

Zacroma wasted no time, she jumped out and shot a string of water directly at Trigon's face. **"AAAAAAHHHH!!!"** The demon screamed, wreathing away. 

"RUN!" Zacroma yelled, plunging into the other room without a second thought.

"Titans go!" Robin ordered. No one questioned, they just ran. Beast Boy transformed into a huge rhinoceros and just barreled through. Cyborg did the same, his metallic body giving him an ample shield against the physically week priests. Starfire flew out, sending her emerald disks in all directions. Rorek did the same with his white lightening. And Robin used his ultra super cool karate moves on anyone that was left...which wasn't much.

"**Get them! Get them!!!"** Trigon's voice boomed throughout the corridor as they continued to run. Zacroma flying in the lead and Robin riding on Beast Boy.

"Uh, why didn't we just do that in the first place?" Cyborg asked.

"The element of surprise at the fact that I wounded their all-powerful master caused too much confusion for them to fight back." Zacroma answered.

"But now we have Trigon on our tail!" Robin exclaimed.

"We have to find Raven! It's our only chance." Zacroma said.

* * *

"_Finally_!" Raven huffed, grabbing her discarded battle clothes from a chest she had found in the room. She used her magic to swiftly change from the dress into them and flung the stupid thing aside.

"Aw, can't we keep it?" Malchior asked, picking it up, "You look so lovely in it."

Raven twitched, "How come whenever you open your mouth I have this sudden urge to kill you?" She asked.

"You're so cute when you're angry." He said with a charming smile.

"See? There it is again. Malchior, can't you be serious about this?! We're in a very dangerous position here, and there's no telling when Trigon will be back!" She huffed. "We have to find the others...if they're still alive." She said, her tone faltering.

"Well, we know Rorek, at least, is alive, because _I_ am alive. And we can't die unless we kill each other." Malchior said.

Raven stopped and looked at him, "What?"

"Oh, he didn't tell you? Why do you think those mystics sealed us instead of get some dragon slayer to kill us? We aren't the most powerful of dragons you see. But when our forces are combined or pitted against each other, well, the effects cause a reaction of power equal to that of what we use to have as a Gray Dragon." He explained. "It was part of the curse the White Magus put on us, well, not her in general, actually gray dragons can only die if they kill themselves anyway, though its still funny how that worked out."

"Alright, I'll ask you more about this later, right now lets just get out of here." She said. She walked over to the large double doors and peeked outside of them. It seemed the hallway was empty. She pressed her finger to her lips and bid Malchior to follow her. "Do you have the orb?" She asked.

"Right here, by the way, what _is_ it?" he asked.

"No time for that, put it in your sup-space pocket or whatever and lets go." She told him. Obediently, he did so and followed her out the door.

* * *

"I can sense Malchior, he's this way." Rorek said, redirecting their course to another hall. They stopped.

"'I can sense Malchior, he's this way.' Dude! Next time maybe you should be looking out for, oh say, AN ARMY OF LITTLE FREAKS!" Beast Boy exclaimed.

In front of them, blocking their path, was, well, an army of little freaks. They had black skin, and they crouched over, their arms nearly reaching to the floor. Their hands and their feet were large, clawed, and their faces were bat-like with large yellow eyes and flashing white teeth. But overall, they were even shorter than Beast Boy was.

"Lesser demons! Trigon's already begun the immigration, I don't believe it!" Zacroma exclaimed. She then pulled out the crucifix and held it up. It seemed to glow with a white light in the face of the evil creatures, it caused them all to shriek, hide their eyes, and run away, screaming in pain.

"Well, that's handy. Lead the way Rorek." Robin said.

* * *

"Mistress Raven! The prisoners have escaped!" Exclaimed a priestess, bowing low before Raven.

Raven swallowed, hoping this would work. **"What?! You fool! Where are they?!"** She boomed.

"Coming this way, Mistress. But we will take care of them, you have no need to trouble yourself." She said breathlessly.

"**Forget it! _I_ will deal with them!!!"** Raven hissed, pushing her to the side so that she could stalk down the corridor. Malchior followed her, not even glancing at the priestess, that is until they were a ways away so he could make sure she wouldn't hear him.

"Impressive. And here I was thinking you weren't a very good actress." He said.

"Shut up." She snapped.

"I think I heard Raven." A distant, yet quite familiar, voice said.

"Guys!" Raven called, running towards the direction of the voice. They came into view, Beast Boy, Robin, Starfire, Rorek, Cyborg, and...Zacroma?

"Rave—AAAAAHHHH!!!" Beast Boy screamed when he saw her.

"Oh crap!" Exclaimed Cyborg.

Raven held up her hands, "No, no, it's alright, I have a hold over myself." She assured them.

Zacroma gave her a wary look, "Ooookay, I'll just trust you on that seeing as how you're not devouring us right now. Here, drink this." She said, holding out a vessal of strange liquid.

Raven raised her eyebrow, "Since when were we able to trust _you_?" She asked.

"No, it's okay, really. I know your mother." Zacroma assured. She then held out her other hand, and then spread it open to reveal a pair of gold rings encrusted with rubies which bore a celtic character in each.

Raven's eyes widened at the sight, and her mouth dropped open in spite of herself. "Azar's rings..." She whispered, holding her hand out for them.

"Yes. Azar's final wish was that you had them when you became old enough. Arella made sure I had them to give to you." The girl said.

Raven looked at the rings for a moment, and then she put them on her fingers. She then held out her hand to take the potion.

It only took a few sips, and then Raven could feel her body chemistry changing back to how it was. Her second set of eyes closed and disappeared, her fangs shortened back into normal teeth, her skin became pale instead of sheet white, and her hair changed back from black to violet. The only downsides were that now she no longer had the super-human strength, and her hair had stayed the same length.

She picked up a lock and looked at it, "This is going to be annoying." She sighed.

"Oh Raven!" Cried Starfire, all but attacking Raven in her happiness, "We were so worried about you! How did you escape the demon Trigon!?" She exclaimed.

"It's complicated." Raven gasped out, "Starfire, I can't breath." She said.

"Oh! I am sorry, but what are we to do? Malchior no longer has the sword he took, and Zacroma has told us it was once Trigon's sword!" She exclaimed.

Raven's eyes widened, "You took the sword from my—what the heck were you thinking?!" She rounded on Malchior.

"Now how was _I_ suppose to know something like that? For all I could see it looked like a pretty good weapon." He responded.

"Whatever. Alright, here's the plan. We get the heck out of here, stalk up on rosary, crosses, silver, you name it! Then we come back and storm the place on our own terms." Zacroma said.

"**I am afraid that will not happen."** A voice boomed, its laughter echoed throughout the corridor, causing it to seemingly crumble around them while sections of the floor split. Platforms formed while the rest of the floor fell away into nothing, floating away from each other so that the Titans were now separated. The world shifted, changing into a celestial void of stars, inconsistent lighting, and floating platforms.

"This isn't good." Raven whispered as Trigon rose from the largest platform, demonic and massive, he liftedhis expanded sword into the air and let out an inhuman battle cry.

"Dude, what do we do now?!" Beast Boy exclaimed to Zacroma.

"I'm thinking, I'm thinking!" She huffed.

Raven suddenly rounded on Malchior, who had been too close to her to be on a separate platform. "You told me that when Rorek and your powers combined or clashed it was far more powerful than either of your individual forces added together. If you can weaken and/or distract Trigon for, five minutes, I have a way that will kill him off once and for all." She said.

"Well that's good, I didn't exactly fancy becoming 'Brother Blood' anyway." He replied.

"SAY WHAT?! Okay, never mind that right now. I need the orb." She said.

"The what? Oh! That, why?"

"Just give it to me $&$& it!" She yelled.

Malchior's eyes widened, "Why Raven! You just swore!" He said, sounding impressed.

"SHUT UP AND GIVE IT TO ME!" She cried in exasperation.

"Alright, alright." He said, handing it to her.

"Okay, go tell the others to try and stall him, without getting killed. Talk to him, taunt him, whatever! But you and Rorek _have_ to at least weaken him." She said.

"Ugh, I have to cooperate with hi—"

"MALCHIOR!!!"

"I'm going! I'm going!" He flinched, flying off of the platform. "Hey, wonder boy," He poked Robin, who was currently trying to strategize himself.

"That's Boy Wonder." He snapped.

"Whatever. Raven says to distract big, red, and ugly, she says she might have a way to finally defeat him." The dragon said. "Need a lift?" He asked, picking the boy up into the air.

"No I—" He started, but then a beam of black light coming from Trigon completely destroyed the platform, and everything around it, that they had been on. "Uh...thanks." He said, looking up at the dark dragon in surprise.

"Yeah, whatever, just don't tell anyone. Hey pinky! Catch!" He called, throwing Robin to Zacroma.

"It's Zacroma! Za-cro-ma!" She yelled, grabbing Robin just as another beam of black like shot at them.

"**It is useless you fools! I am unstoppable!"** Trigon roared.

"We shall never give up!" Starfire yelled, sending a powerful collective blast of her green energy at the demon. But he merely swat her away with his hand, laughing cruelly.

"Sanctus Telum!" Rorek exclaimed. An arrow of white, almost clear, light shot from his hands, hitting Trigon in the chest where it seared.

"**Fool!"** He bellowed, but it was obvious he had been wounded. He tried to swipe at Rorek as well, but the dragon flew out of the way.

"Star! Star are you alright?!" Robin exclaimed, kneeling beside his fallen comrade.

"I, I am wounded, but I shall still fight." She said sitting up.

"Zacroma, Raven says she has a way to defeat Trigon, but we have to distract him for a long enough period of time." Robin said.

"Oh, and when you see Rorek and I casting a spell, _together_ noless, get out of the way." Malchior said, flying past them towards Cyborg, who was using his blaster, and Beast Boy's pterodactyl form.

"Alright Star?" Robin asked.

"I am ready." She answered.

"Guys, I'm goin' in. Wish me luck." Zacroma said, preparing her super soaker. She then jumped off the platform and launched at Trigon. The demon noticed her and laughed, but she dodged his spells, and began to shoot a consistant stream of holy water at him. The demon cried out in spite of himself, and tried to swat her out of the air, but again she dodged him.

"You shall not be victorious!" Starfire cried, shooting her beams in a continuous fashion.

Robin launched from his spot onto another floating platform, and then another. He threw a set of exploading disks at the demon. Cyborg launched his emergency rocket, and then began shooting lasers in rapid succession.

"Raven says to combine our powers against Trigon." Malchior informed his other half.

"What?!"

"I don't like it either, but she says that if we can weaken him, she can kill him." He said.

"I can't trust you! You'll just turn around and attack _me_ instead!" Rorek exclaimed.

"And I fully intend to do so, but not until _after_ we've gotten rid of _him_." Malchior said, jerking his thumb towards Trigon.

Rorek looked indecisive, he looked at Trigon, then back at Raven standing upon the highest platform with her hands raised in the air, and finally to Malchior. "We've never agreed on anything." He said.

"Didn't say we had to, but it seems we both have the same amount of love for Raven." Malchior said.

"For her then." Rorek said. Malchior nodded and they stood beside each other, preparing their spells against Trigon.

"I'm out of water!" Zacroma cried. Robin looked over hopefully, and found the two dragons were standing beside each other, preparing their magics.

"Titans! Scatter!!!" He commanded.

"Animatus, Specula, Aeternitus!" Rorek exclaimed.

"Atrum, Exspes, Mortis!" Malchior chanted.

Starfire grabbed Robin and flew as fast as she could away from the Demon. Beast Boy changed into a giant hawk and flew Cyborg and himself in the other direction. Zacroma flew towards Raven, hovering near her, but far enough away that she didn't break the mystic's concentration.

Malchior and Rorek's black and white energies combind with each other, twisting together, merging and becoming a single color: Silver. The power streamed on towards the giant demon, now turned towards them. He held up his sword to block the force, but it would do him little good. The power took the form of a dragon, its defaning roar shaking the floating plots of land. Trigon let out a cry of rage as the dragon hit him, burning into him, wrecking its destructive force upon him.

When it was over, the demon fell back, landing upon his platform, huffing with exhaustion.

"Now, Raven!" Zacroma exclaimed.

"_Take your revenge upon the one who abandoned you! Make him feel your furious power! And let your deeds bring you peace to finally rest!_" Her voice echoed. The orb, glowing black, suddenly shattered. And from her hands flew over a hundred butterflies, their bodies red and their wings made of black fires. They flew straight at Trigon, becoming larger, and larger, until the bodies took on humanoid shapes of men and women. Their combined cries where that of the dead, shrieks of fury and wrath. The butterflies attacked the red skinned demon, ripping his flesh, biting him, devouring him.

"**NOOOOO!!! STOP YOU FOOLS!!! I WILL NOT BE DEFEATED SO EASILLY!!!" **Trigon screamed.

"Don't you recognize them _Father_?!" Raven called. "These are the souls of the children that you killed because they did not suite your purpose! They have raged for thousands of years, waiting for this day when they could extract their revenge. They came to me, knowing that I would give them what they wanted one day. And that day has come! You are finished, Trigon, may you rot in hell!"

"**NO! NO!!!"** He cried, trying to bring himself up. But his body was being destroyed, burned in the black flames of the souls that were once his children. **"RAVEN!!!"** He cried out in fury, but then he fell again, but only his horns hit the floor.

The butterflies flew into the air, flying in a straight line back to Raven. They circled around her, singing their joy into the sky. And then they spiraled upwards. The black flames of their wings became white, their skin became gold, and they disappeared into a blinding light high above.

Raven spun around as they circled around her, her hair swirling about her shoulders. Slowly, her clothes began to change from midnight, to white. Starting from her feet and the bottom of her cape, and finishing with her hood when the last of the butterflies had left.

Raven's knees hit the red carpeted floor of a church sanctuary. A pair of golden horns fell in front of her, Trigon's horns, but she didn't care.

She was free, she was finally free, forever. She had done it, she had overcome her father, with the help of the children he had cast away, she had accomplished what she had set out to do her entire life. She was free.

Raven fell to the ground, for the next few moments of consciousness she could feel someone picking her up, but then everything went mercifully black.

* * *

A/N: I suppose I could have drug that out longer, but then it would start to get boring and monotonous and I never could stand those villains who _just won't **die**_. The story is not over, by the way, I still have a chapter or two to go for the finish, so make sure you stick around for that! .

You're all probably thinking 'why butterflies?', well, in Greek/Roman mythology the word for 'butterfly' and 'soul' was the same, Psyche, and the woman who bore that name related the two together, so a human soul supposedly takes the form of a butterfly. Something else you all might be wondering about is the whole Trigon's other children thing. Well, from what _I_ understand is that Trigon is an extra-dimensional being who is unable to get a good hold on earth because of some barrier. So he has to make a link between him and Earth, meaning his child must be half-demon. If this were the case, Raven couldn't have been the first child he had tried to cultivate for this purpose, and, as it always seems, the first child would _not_ have been an absolute success. So he would just discard the children that didn't fit his purpose, leaving them to die or even killing them himself so he wouldn't have to deal with them.

So yeah, anyways!

TheDarkAzar: Sure! I think the name's cool too, but if you give me the only moon on earth it's only fair that I give you Saturn's best and biggest moon. (Did you know Rhea is a moon on Saturn!?!? I found that out a while ago, it's so cool!!!) Personally, I think you should take over Italy first, that's where most rock stars'll go and hang out, and if you can capture them then you will have the world in no time! (If you end up capturing Nightwish can I have them?!) And good luck with the account! Bet you'll have some interesting stories.

Pixie10111: HIS HAIR IS BLACK IN THE ORIGINAL SERIES SO NYA!!! AND SO IS RAVEN'S HAIR!!! SO THEREFORE I AM BEING CLOSER TO THE ORIGINAL SERIES THAN THE TV SHOW!!! Ahem, anyways. Personally, I prefer to avoid R rated stuff, I mean a little bit of tasteful snuggling and kissing is nice, but writing (Or reading) blatant sex gets _wayyyyyyy _too personal. _But_, I suppose that's my opinion and not yours. Thanks for the support anyways, I appreciate it .

Morbed-Kai: To each their own I suppose. But, I take this as a good sign. If you have such a strong opinion for or even against one of the characters I am doing my own thing with, that means you must really be getting into the fic! . hope you keep reading!

Hm...that's all I really had to say. Alrighty then! (Cracks knuckles) On to the next chapter!!!


	16. Aftermath

A/N: Heheheheheheheh

* * *

_The sun is sleeping quietly   
Once upon a century   
Wistful oceans calm and red   
Ardent caresses laid to rest_

_For my dreams I hold my life   
For wishes I behold my night   
The truth at the end of time   
Losing faith makes a crime_

_I wish for this night-time   
to last for a lifetime   
The darkness around me   
Shores of a solar sea   
Oh how I wish to go down with the sun   
Sleeping   
Weeping   
With you_

The sun seemed to burn through the crack in her curtains, forcing its way around them so that it could shine its light upon the edges of the window. It penetrated the darkness, but only a little, as the room held itself a sort of fog which would lift only once and a while. Raven shifted slightly in her bed, but only to become more tangled in her cloak. Her belt seemed to poke into her side uncomfortably, and it felt like there was something constricting her movements.

She opened her eyes, blinking, realizing it had to be past noon by now. Which was very odd indeed, as she was never one to sleep in very late. Raven loosened the cloak around her neck, except that it wasn't her cloak, it was an arm.

She was sandwiched between a pair of warm, identical bodies. And because she could see the hair was white in front of her, she could only assume that the one holding her from behind had black hair.

Hm, to scream, or not to scream...

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!! WHAT THE H$#$ ARE YOU TWO DOING IN MY BED?!" She demanded shrilly, using her powers to make them both fly across the room.

"What tha bloody—oh dear gods, MERCY!!!" Malchior yelled, running right out the door.

Rorek, on the other hand, suddenly jumped up and looked around him wildly. "Wha-what? What happened!? Where's Trigon? Where's Mal—Raven?" He asked, his eyes widening when he saw her floating in front of him, eyes glowing white.

She decided to land and reduce her rage to a glare and a twitch, "Rorek, _what_ were you and Malchior doing in my bed? What were you doing in my _room_ for that matter?" She asked him.

"What? Malchio—oh, oh my, I don't remember falling asleep." He said, looking still confused. "I carried you to you're room and..." His face suddenly went red, "Ah! F-f-forgive me Raven! I, I wasn't even _thinking_, I don't know what, or why, or..." He blabbed, looking completely embarrassed.

Raven took in a deep breath, and let it out. "That's okay, a lot happened yesterday anyway." She said. She looked away, and her eyes fell upon her full-length mirror. At first she smiled slightly, seeing her white outfit, but then she frowned, seeing her long and very messy hair. "Oh ye gods." She grumbled, summoning up a hairbrush to fix it.

"Here, let me help. I've ah, had some experience with long hair, hnhn." He said with a chuckle. She decided to let him take her brush, in spit of the fact that she was completely capable of doing it herself, and let him untangle the mess. "It's usually best to keep it in a braid at night, though I should talk." He said. Raven snickered at that, his hair was indeed a mess as well, though not as much of one.

Raven sighed, "I think I'll just cut it off again, though. I never could stand long hair." She said.

"But it's so beautiful, why would you ever want to cut it off?" He asked.

She let out a small breath, her eyes becoming distant with thought.

"Raven." Rorek whispered. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders, burring his face in her hair so he could breathe in her scent. She closed her eyes and leaned into him, holding his arms to her, wanting to be closer to him. "Raven, I'm...I'm sorry." He said softly.

"For what?"

"For...everything. It's, it's all my fault, I caused this entire mess." He said.

"What? No you didn't, I—" But he spun her around to face him and then gave her a stern look in the eye.

"Don't try to hide it. If I had never come, and if it weren't for Malchior as well, Trigon wouldn't have even gotten enough of a hold on this dimension to communicate with the Blood Clan. He would never have risen, and you wouldn't have had to go through all of that. If I had never even—"

"Don't," She whispered, suddenly pushing herself into him and wrapping her arms around his chest, "Don't say that, don't even think that. I, I'm glad, I'm _happy_, I would rather spend my entire life fighting against my father's influence than to have never met you. Rorek I, I—"

Rorek brought his arms around her and squeezed her tightly, "Ssssh, it's okay, I know, you don't have to say it." He assured.

"But I...I want to." She whispered. Tears began to fall from her eyes, suddenly, a dozen years of emotions began to fill up in her stomach, demanding to be set free. She let it free, in a torrent of tears she let all her emotions free.

_We're walking in the air   
We're floating in the moonlit sky   
The people far below are sleeping as we fly_

She held on to him tightly, sobbing, crying, and he just held her close, letting her cry all she wanted.

_I'm holding very tight   
I'm riding in the midnight blue   
I'm finding I can fly so high above with you_

It was so confusing, all these emotions, all these feelings she had forever kept from reaching her depth, were suddenly there, hurting her, healing her, making her cry, laugh, frown, smile, everything! It all exploded from her, freeing themselves now that the chains no longer kept them away.

_Far across the world   
The villages go by like trees   
The rivers and the hills   
The forests and the streams_

It was a while before she stopped crying so hard, and when her tears began to dry a bit, Rorek brought her just far enough away from him so that he could bend down and press his lips to hers.

_Children gaze open mouth   
Taken by surprise   
Nobody down below believes their eyes_

She brought her arms from his waist to his neck, pulling him closer to her, and pouring all the emotion welling up inside of her into that kiss.

_We're surfing in the air   
We're swimming in the frozen sky   
We're drifting over icy   
Mountains floating by_

Somehow they had gotten down on the floor, kissing passionately. A hunger she had never known was growing in the pit of her stomach, she wanted more, but she didn't at the same time. She knew he did as well, but neither his kisses nor his touch held any sort of lust or wanting, only a loving gentleness.

_Suddenly swooping low on an ocean deep   
Arousing of a mighty monster from its sleep_

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, they stopped, both breathing heavily. Raven rested her head on Rorek's chest, listening to his heart beat swiftly. She smiled. Never had she experienced something like this, maybe with Malchior those months back she may have thought she was happy and in love, but even though her garb was white, she still wasn't completely free of her father. Here, now, her father was dead, gone forever, and she was no longer in danger of becoming a demon either. She could let her emotions run wild, and right now, she was feeling a happiness beyond what she could have ever dreamed.

_We're walking in the air   
We're floating in the midnight sky   
And everyone who sees us greets us as we fly_

Her rather lengthy episode as well as this had exhausted a good deal of her bursting emotions, she felt drained, but it was a very pleasant feeling. She was happy, at peace, she could live now, but that wasn't all.

"Rorek?" She whispered.

"Yes Raven?"

"I love you." It was cheesy, she knew, and if anyone else were around it would be unbearably embarrassing, but right now it just felt, _right_.

"And I love you." He said.

* * *

"He looks so peaceful." Beast Boy said, staring down at the sleeping Malchior, (who had, unbeknownst to them, run away from Raven previously and fallen right back asleep on the couch). 

"Yeah...let's play with him." Zacroma said, grinning evilly while flexing her fingers. Beast Boy's grin took up half his face.

"Hey guys, never poke a sleeping dragon." Cyborg warned.

"Who, me? Never!" Zacroma exclaimed with an innocent look on her face. "Besides, who said anything about poking him?" She asked, pulling out a bottle of shaving cream and shaking it up.

"Oh, well in that case let me help." He said, grinning as widely as Beast Boy (impossible though that sounds).

"Here you go!" She said, handing each of them their own bottle.

Raven stretched out widely as she entered the living room, and then she stopped dead in her tracks, causing Rorek to nearly run into her. She stared, blinking with disbelief at what she was currently seeing. She even rubbed her eyes, nope, the image was still there.

"What are you _doing_?" She asked, causing the three to look up, and grin proudly.

"Is that..._Malchior_?" Rorek asked, also not believing what he was seeing. His darker half was currently being covered in an odd white foaming substance, which was so odd that he deduced this _had_ to be what the people of this time called a 'practical joke'. But the fact that they would perform this on a dark _dragon_, noless, was rather...shocking.

_I must not laugh, I must **not** laugh, it will only encourage them, I must not laugh._ Raven thought. She was practically biting her tongue to keep herself from grinning.

But then Malchior stood up, apparently having been woken up by one of them, and he looked down at himself. The three were too shocked to scream and run, especially Zacroma, who just stood there, bottle still out, staring at him while the other two began to step away slowly.

_Just don't laugh._ Raven told herself.

He scooped off the shaving cream on his face and chest, looked at it, and then at Zacroma. He raised an eyebrow at her, causing her to grin nervously, "Er...haha?" She got out. He glanced at the shaving cream again, and then back at her, and then, in one fluid motion, put the clump of shaving cream all over her face.

"Haha." He returned, taking the bottle out of her hand. Zacroma was apparently just as shocked as everyone else and didn't even move. He looked at the bottle, examining it so that he knew which direction to point it, and then gave the sprayer a testing push. "Interesting." He said as the cream came out and foamed on Zacroma's already covered face. "Yet, oddly entertaining." He added, continuing the flow of shaving cream upon her face.

He then started covering the rest of her head with it, so that her pink hair was now white and fluffy. He continued until the bottle was empty, and by then her whole body was covered in the stuff. "I call it, A Satisfying Revenge." He said, presenting Zacroma's white and fluffy form like some piece of art he had just completed. Raven bit her lip and had to look away in order to keep from laughing.

"He's funny." Beast Boy observed.

"He's _real_ funny." Cyborg added.

Malchior then turned to them, "Now for you two." He said. They looked at each other, and then were out of there the next second, leaving behind their shaving cream bottles. Malchior picked them up, "Oh well, I suppose I can continue my first piece now. Oh dear, it looks like my sculpture has up and walked away." He said.

"You know, you're only going to encourage them." Raven said.

Malchior chuckled as he approached them, "Perhaps." He said, suddenly spraying Rorek in the face with one of the bottles.

Rorek was startled, and Raven was shocked. She stared at Rorek, her eyes wide, wondering what he would do.

The lighter half of the dragon whipped off the shaving cream and then swiped the bottle from his darker self. He then participated in an act of retaliation, spraying at Malchior while the other dragon jumped away.

Raven couldn't take anymore, she burst out into a fit of laughter as the two continued to run around the room, spraying each other with shaving cream, sometimes getting at each other's necks, and other times grabbing the other's long hair so they could smear the cream into it. The girl had to hold her stomach, she was laughing so hard she was falling to the floor and tears were seeping out of her eyes.

"Raven, what are y—" Robin began, and then he saw what Raven was weakly pointing to, and stared, stunned.

"Robin, why have you stopped in the middle of the doorway? The last time I asked, it was not customary to block the way for others." Starfire's voice came as she tried to get around the frozen teen. "Friend Raven, why have you suddenly become possessed by fits of laughter...and why are Malchior and Rorek rolling around in white fluffy stuff?" Starfire asked.

Raven couldn't respond, she was still laughing to hard.

"Blast! It's empty!" Malchior exclaimed, tossing his can away.

"Good! That means I have won!" Rorek said.

"What?! Not in this century, sissy boy!" Malchior retorted, but was rewarded with another face full of shaving cream.

"Give it up, Malchior!" Rorek shouted.

"Never!!! –Wait, it appears our dear Raven is laughing, you must be doing something stupid." Malchior pointed out.

"_Me_?! You're the one who's being stupid!"

"On the contrary, _I_ am evil, and evil _never_ makes a fool out of itself unless it happens to inhabit a bungling idiot." The dark dragon pointed out.

"I repeat myself,"

"Oh shut up, you're just jealous because I am the better looking half." He said.

"Since _when_?! We both look the same!!!" Rorek exclaimed.

"Alright, moving on." Robin said, "Need some help?" He asked Raven.

"Wrong again, you see our colors our different. While you have white hair, blue eyes, and normal skin, I have black hair, red eyes, and fair skin. As you can plainly see, and if not than you _are_ an idiot, _I_ am more Raven's type." Malchior continued.

"Yes, that would be nice." Raven answered, letting Robin help her up. She then followed him into the kitchen.

"Since when did Raven have a 'type'?!" Rorek's voice demanded in the background.

Robin turned to Raven with a slight smirk, "Yeah, since when _did_ you have a ty—"

"Oh shut up." She snapped.

Starfire suddenly gasped, "Raven! You are being fought over by two boys!" She squealed. "You are so lucky!"

"Actually, I think they'd fight over anything that gave them an excuse to argue." Raven pointed out.

Robin snickered, "Yeah, but you _do_ seem to be their center of attent—"

"Shut up!" She interrupted again.

A green eye peeked from the crack of the kitchen's other door. "Alright, I think it's clear." Beast Boy said, opening the door in order to come in.

"I think you guys have created a monster." Raven said, pouring herself some tea.

"Huh?" The three asked.

"Why is there white fluffy stuff all over our new friend?" Starfire asked, cocking her head at Zacroma.

"Oh so _they_ started it." Robin said snickering.

"Started what, man?" Cyborg questioned.

"The shaving cream fight in the living room." Raven answered.

"What?! Between who?!" Beast Boy exclaimed.

Raven and Robin looked at each other, and then they suddenly burst into a new fit of uncontrollable laughter, causing everyone to stare.

"I still do not get why friend Raven is being possessed by fits of laughter, this has never happened before." Starfire said. "But are they to blame for the reason Malchior and Rorek were covering each other in the foamy white stuff currently consuming Zacroma?" She asked.

All three of their mouth's dropped to the floor. "Dude, Rorek and Malchior had a shaving cream fight?!?!?!" Beast Boy yelled.

"So that is what it was! But did Robin not clearly state that there were to be no shaving of cream fights in the living room?" The tamaranian asked.

"Well, they'll just have to clean it up." Robin snickered.

"Make me." Malchior suddenly came in, marching into the kitchen, tracking foam in like Zacroma.

"Don't walk away from me! Answer me!" Rorek yelled, coming in himself.

"You're such a b&&&&, Rorek." He scoffed.

"B&&&&&&!" Rorek snapped right back.

"Sissies don't swear, Rorek." Malchior informed.

"They have uttered the forbidden words!!!" Starfire exclaimed. Malchior just raised an eyebrow at her.

"Alright, you two, _behave_ and clean up. You too Zacroma. _I_ will take care of the mess in the living room." Raven said.

* * *

"Everyone here?" Robin asked. "Never thought I'd have to count heads to make sure, alright, first I think we need to—" 

"Forgive me for interrupting, but must I really be here? I mean, I am not even a 'Teen Titan', and would rather die than hold a title like that anyway." Malchior asked.

"Are you diss'n our name?!" Cyborg demanded.

"No, what I am doing is insulting you're name, I do not know what 'diss'n' is suppose to mean." He responded.

"_Yes_ you need to be here because this meeting is about you as well." Robin interrupted before it could go any farther.

"I'm not going back into that book if that's what you're thinking. I'll burn it before that happens." Malchior pointed out abruptly.

"You will not be going into my room, _at all_, and so you will have no chance to get it. _Right_?" Raven asked, her eyes narrow.

Malchior looked at her, and then backed down. "Right." He said with hardly any tone to his voice.

"That's not really what I was thinking, but it sounds like a good idea, thank you Malchior." Robin said, just to spite him.

"Actually, Robin, as much as I hate to say it, that _wouldn't_ be a good idea." Rorek told him.

Everyone looked at him, "What?" Robin asked.

"In case none of you have noticed, Rorek and I are beginning to merge again." Malchior answered.

"Say what?! Merge, but you're—" Beast Boy exclaimed.

"Oh, that's right," Malchior gave Rorek a rather haughty smirk, "He told you I was an incarnation of the evil he tried to get rid of, didn't he? Well, that would be another lie. We are two parts of the same dragon. Separated by the White Magus over two thousand years ago, we use to be a gray dragon, which, for those of you who _don't_ know, is a dragon that is in complete equilibrium, equal parts of light and dark. The most powerful kind of all dragons, often called a silver dragon as well. Currently, however, we are but dark and light dragons, the White Magus didn't give either of us the, pleasure, of being completely Crystal or completely Ebony dragons, separately, we're as week as a normal dragon." He explained.

"But combined you create a force capable of weakening Trigon. It makes sense!" Zacroma exclaimed.

"And against each other, the same power is achieved." Rorek added solemnly.

"But not just towards the other. See, what Rorek didn't want you all to know, is that he is just as responsible as I am for a devastation that nearly destroyed the entire world over a thousand years ago. But because we can't be killed unless we kill each other, the solution was imprisonment. Rorek into a jewel, and me into that book." Malchior explained, earning himself a piercing glare from Rorek, which he pointedly ignored.

Surprisingly, though, Robin didn't look quite as surprised as the others. "So, this merging, how exactly does it work?" He asked.

"Ah well," Malchior smirked at Rorek, who flashed him another warning glare.

"The spell the White Magus placed on us is wearing off, it has been ever since I came here and was in a close enough proximity to Malchior, in spite of his entrapment." He explained.

"Well, that would explain the shaving cream..." Beast Boy said.

"You mean you're actually following along?" Raven asked, suddenly impressed.

"I've been translating." Cyborg assured her.

"HEY!" the changeling exclaimed.

"Please continue." Robin said loudly.

"We'll merge a little more every year, meaning the two of us will become more and more alike, as horrific a prospect it is. Thankfully, all the merging for this year has happened. And therefore, Rorek swore and I am not trying to have you all for my evening meal." Malchior concluded.

"When will it be complete?" Asked Cyborg.

"We don't know, depends on how much more we merge the next year." Rorek answered, glowering slightly at the thought as well.

"So eventually you're going to turn into one person again?" Beast Boy summarized.

Both of them grimaced at the same time, but in different ways of course, "Yes." Malchior answered flatly.

"Okay, my brain hurts now." Beast Boy said, falling to the ground.

"Beast Boy, are you alright? Shall I wrap your head in bandage cloth?" Starfire asked with concern.

"Just leave him." Raven said with a sigh.

"Well, now that that's settled, let's move on to the next issue. Sleeping arrangements." Robin said.

"Huh?" Beast Boy sat up. "Okay, he is _not_ staying in my room!" He exclaimed, pointing at Malchior.

"Of course I'm not! I'm staying in Raven's room." Malchior responded, placing his hand on said mystic's shoulder.

"Get your hand off me before I remove it from your wrist." Raven told him.

"Or not." He said, doing as ordered.

"We need two more rooms, we have three extras. The only problem, they're all being used to store our junk." Robin said.

"Two...you mean I can stay too?!" Zacroma exclaimed.

"YAY!" Beast Boy cheered.

"What sort of 'stuff' is in those rooms?" Asked Raven.

"Uh...well..." Robin sweatdropped.

"Let me guess, it's mostly Beast Boy and Cyborg's stuff, isn't it?" She sighed.

"Kinda, yeah." He answered.

"Then they shall clean it up!" Starfire concluded.

"What!?" Beast Boy exclaimed.

"No way man! Not by ourselves!!!" Cyborg added.

"Well, if you don't want to keep any of it, I could always transport it all to the dump." Raven suggested.

"NO! NO! We'll ah, we'll get right on it." Cyborg and Beast Boy said at the same time. They then zoomed out that door like lightening.

"There is still a problem though." Starfire said.

"What's that?" Zacroma asked.

"There are still more boys than there are girls." She answered. Raven and Robin sweatdropped.

"Uh, Starfire?" Robin began, "Stop reading those magazines!" He and Raven said at the same time.

* * *

A/N: Don't worry, I have _one more_ chapter left. Anyways, sorry about the delay, Monday was a really bad day, hardly got _any_ writing in. And all I have is a set of boards I broke with my bare foot to show for it. _Sigh_. Oh well! 

Alright, since there were more than one people thinking along this same line, I'm just gonna state my response here. _No_, I am _not_ writing a lemon! I can't even _read _lemons! Therefore, can't write, won't write, too bad. (Therefore Raven will _not_ be getting pregnant . Okay I just don't write that kind of a plot! Alright?!) Ahem, what you_ will_ be getting, however, is what I like to call SSS, stands for Sweet Snugly Stuff. Or some lime. See, I have this thing against blatant sex, call me a daddy's girl, but I do.

Though I do hope you all liked the Rorek/Malchior complication, heheh, it gets better though, trust me.

Avery Redlind: MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Wouldn't _you_ like to know!

PrepIam: Okay, I cannot _take_ it anymore, STOP FREAK'N CUSSING!!! YOU DO NOT CUSS IN A REVIEW!!! Stories, maybe, but only for reality's sake! And if you're cussing just to be cool, it isn't working! In fact one of my friends doesn't cuss at all, and she has, what? _21_ guys going after her for a date! She is _quite_ popular, and you wanna know why? It's because she _can_ be cool and not have to cuss because of it. AND I AM NOT WRITING A LEMON!!! Okay, okay, sorry, but you're really irking me with this. I appreciate the enthusiasm you have, and I'm grateful you're reading my story, but when I keep cringing every time I read one of your reviews, well, there's only so much I can take. _You_ might think it's cool to cuss, but I don't, it's a sign of poor intellect when you have to cuss in order to express yourself. So do us all a favor and pick up a dictionary so you can say even more insulting stuff without the need to curse in every sentence. Okidoki?

Syunikiss: Wow, that's probably one of the most blush-inducing complements I have heard in a while. Thank you! It really means a lot.

Aori Tsuki: Again, thank you! You don't know how much that means to me! You know, there's always _one person_ who seems to figure out what I'm up to before the chapter even comes out. Congratulations on being the one to guess they'd become one person eventually! Wish me luck on the sequel!

Yukinna: Lol! Yeah, too bad it'd change the plot too much if I did that. And my Malchior character is naturally casual and easygoing...sorta. I hope this chapter explained some of that though, but I think him as being more sarcastic and arrogant myself. Though, let's be fair, he _is_ a dragon, and one can only assume that dragons have different mentalities than humans, in fact it's almost required, or it should be anyways. I dunno, but I like it, and I hope you do too. Lol, SHAVING CREAM!

Well, that's all I have to say for now. So! (Cracks knuckles and opens up a new Word Document) Uhhh....(Stares at it) (Hits head on desk) _Now_ what?!


	17. My Sweet Raven

"Alabaster's shop of darkness, I am Auron, how may I be of service?" Asked a smooth voice on the other line of the phone.

"Hey Auron, it's Raven." She responded.

"Ah! Raven, a pleasure. Did you need anything?" he asked.

"Yeah, the day off would be nice." She answered.

"Huh? Er...uh..." He paused a moment, seeming to weigh his options.

Raven sighed, "Look, a lot has happened and I really need some time to relax. My boyfriend is a dragon from one thousand years ago who got split into two parts, we just woke up from resting after a battle with my evil demon father, and I am having a major problem dealing with my emotions right now, I _really_ need some time off." She told him.

There was a pause, "How about the rest of the week?"

"That would be great." She answered, and then she hung up.

"What was that all about?"

"Ah!" Raven jumped in surprise and spun around. "Don't _do_ that!" She exclaimed.

"Do what? I haven't done anything. Yet." Malchior said, smirking slightly.

"I mean don't scare me like that. And stay three feet away from me at all times, I don't trust you." She said, eyeing him suspiciously.

"Oh well in that case, forgive me oh queen for I have sinned against you. And I only have two feet, Love. But if I had three feet, I would be...this close." He said, stepping right up to her so that all he had to do was bend foreword and he'd be touching her. "Which is as close as I would be with only two feet." He added.

Raven jumped back away from him, "Let me give you a little update about the present time's unit of measurement. A foot is about this long," She spread her hands out in an estimate. "Three feet is about how far we are right now." She told him.

"Hm, not sure I understand this form of 'measurement', could you explain it again?" He asked, stepping back up to her. She stepped away again.

"Malchior, stop it." She ordered.

"Stop what?" He asked, following her lead.

"Stop getting so close to me!" She yelled, not even bothering that time.

_Ssssssshhhhh_

"Malchior, where did you get that shaving cream?" Raven asked calmly behind her new mask of white foam.

Malchior grinned broadly, "Bribed Zacroma for it." He answered.

"Uh huh, whatever, give me that!" She exclaimed, swiping the bottle from him.

"Uh oh, HAVE MERCY!!!" Malchior exclaimed, running away.

* * *

_Dear Raven,_

_It looks as though your womanhood is finally catching up to you, in a normal situation where I was the mother of merely an extraordinarily gifted girl I would tell you to listen to what you're heart told you, but in this situation I am afraid I cannot do that._

_It hurts so very much for me to write this, but you must not trust anyone with your heart. It was foolish of you to do so with this Malchior the first time, but I cannot fault you for it. You are, after all, still a human girl, even if that is only half of you. But you must understand, it is truly very dangerous for you to feel anything too deeply, your emotions must be suppressed constantly, and so you can never truly love until you have broken yourself of Trigon's hold._

_Distance yourself from both this Rorek and Malchior, it is the only way._

_As for the Baru crystal, don't worry about sending me the payment, I had an extra in my own stores. As for the Libra, keep it. The heirloom would have gone to you anyway. I wish you the best. I hope this letter finds you in good health, and make sure you write to me if there is anything you need._

_Forever till eternity, Your Mother._

Raven set aside the letter and picked up the objects that had come with it, feeling very touched by her mother's generosity. She took the Libra in her hand. It was an intricately designed object, molded and welded from orihalcom and imbued with a powerful magic. It was shaped like a tiny dagger, and hung on a thin silver chain. Its purpose: to tell the barer if someone was lying or not.

Though she felt she didn't need it anymore, she slipped it around her neck anyway, tucking it so that it would poke out just underneath her cloak. She then took a piece of paper and began to write back to her mother.

_Dear Mother,_

_You will never believe this but, I have done it! I am finally free of Trigon! He is dead mother, we were finally able to destroy him!_

_But now, I'm having some problems handling my emotions. My natural reaction is to suppress them once more, but I don't need to, I don't _want_ to. But now everything seems to have turned upside down. Malchior is free of his prison, and now he and Rorek are 'merging', meaning the curse placed upon them is weakening and they will eventually become one again. Which is...good...I think...actually, I don't know._

_I love Rorek, I know that now, and I know he loves me as well...but so does Malchior. I'm not sure how it works, it seems like that's the only thing they share, but it's odd...I thought that all Malchior wanted from me was his freedom...but now that he _is_ free...I don't know what to think anymore. I don't know how I feel about _him_. He hurt me, badly, but he's changed a bit, one of the effects of the 'merging' it seems. Yet he's still the same, and so is Rorek. They, I don't know, they seem so alike, and yet like opposites at the same time. How am I suppose to love one and not the other? But at the same time, am I being unfaithful to Rorek for...for maybe still having feelings for Malchior as well?_

_I never thought of it until now, but I, I really do think I am still in love with Malchior, however much I hate to admit it. He's just...he's just...I don't know, it's all so confusing. But I feel like, like they both understand me, and that they, love me because of who I am, not in spite of. I don't know, maybe I'm reading too much in between the lines here. _

_Although, they're not human, they look human, but it seems every time I start to see them as such they do something very...off. Speaking of which, it was just yesterday that I thought Malchior was about to make a move on me, and then he sprays me with shaving cream! Shaving cream! Oh but that's not all, before that he and Rorek were fighting in the living room with the stuff. I don't know **what** they thought they could accomplish by doing that. You think they were having fun or something? That really doesn't sound right...but, again, they're not human, they're dragons taking the shape of humans._

_Well, thanks, for everything. I hope, now that Trigon is dead, you can finally find the peace you seek. I love you mother, I always have._

_Forever till Eternity, Raven.

* * *

_

"It's tofu!!!" Beast Boy's voice cried throughout the kitchen.

"This stuff is disgusting! What are you trying to do, poison me?!" Malchior demanded.

"THANK YOU!" Cyborg exclaimed. "_Finally_ someone agrees with me!"

"Back off, he's just saying that to insult me." Beast Boy pointed out.

"No, actually I really do hate it." Malchior responded as Raven entered the kitchen.

"You okay Rorek?" She asked, noticing that the other dragon looked like he was going to be sick.

"See?! See!? He doesn't like it either!" Cyborg exclaimed.

"Well _I_ do!" Zacroma pointed out, taking a big, purposeful spoonful from the huge bowl of tofu and eating it all in one bite.

"Just what _is_ it anyway?" Malchior asked.

"Composed mostly of vegetables." Raven answered.

Malchior blanched instantly, "_Dude_!? Let me run this buy you in case you've somehow managed to forget. I, am, a, dragon, a dra-gon! I eat meat! Not vegetables! I'm strictly carnivorous!" He yelled at Beast Boy.

"No wonder I feel sick, excuse me." Rorek said, running to the bathroom.

"Rorek, did you...eat _all_ of it?" Raven questioned, looking at the empty bowl.

"I told him politeness would get him into bad situations." Malchior said with a sigh, "But does he listen to me? Oooooh nooooo."

"Ahem, anyway, guess what my mother sent me." Raven said, showing them the royal blue stone that encompassed her entire fist.

"Uh..." The Titans just kinda stared at it.

"A baru crystal, those are extremely rare, how'd your mother get one?" Malchior asked.

"Wait, a baru—that means you can make kinetic water now, right?!" Beast Boy asked.

"It's _kethnic_ water, and yes." Raven answered.

"Alright, considering you can use kethnic water over a hundred ways, what do you plan to do with it?" Malchior asked.

"Scurry, for Slade." She answered.

"Scurry, _scurry_?! You're going to waste precious baru dust for _scurrying_?! And exactly _why_ can't you do this _without_ kethnic water?" He demanded.

"Things have changed a lot since you and I have been sealed." Rorek said, coming back out of the bathroom looking much better. "Everything has become polluted and impure, even the threads of reality that allowed us some things long ago have become unusable. The air is clouded, surely you've noticed as well." He said.

"Really? I thought it was that green thing." Malchior said, jerking his thumb towards Beast Boy.

"What gree—HEY!" Beast Boy exclaimed.

"_Anyway_!" Robin called, "When do you think you can have Slade's location?" He asked.

"Two days at least. It takes that long to prepare kethnic water." She answered. "But I also have a few other things I need to get, thankfully I know just where to find them."

"Oh friend Raaaaaveeeen! Friend Zacroooomaaaa!" Called a familiarly cheery voice.

Raven's face took on a pained expression, "Oh no, not again." She moaned.

"I have sent in many of those odd question forms from the magazines I have been studying and have come to obtain papers of shopping for the local mall and I wish to share them in girl time!" She exclaimed.

"Oh well," Raven sighed, "I've been meaning to get my hair cut anyway."

"WHAAAAAAT!?" Just about everyone yelled.

"Why?!" BB exclaimed.

"Whatever for?!" Star demanded.

"You can't _do_ that! You're hair is so pretty the way it is!!!" Zacroma came in.

"Yeah! Just leave it that way!!!" Robin exclaimed.

"You can't just cut it! I like it too much!!!" Malchior cried.

"Keep it like that!" Cyborg said.

"It is so beautiful!" Starfire added again.

"ALRIGHT ALRIGHT!" Raven yelled. "I'll just trim it a bit, _happy_?!"

"YAY!" They all cheered. Raven sweatdropped and let out an exasperated sigh.

"I'm surrounded." She grumbled to herself as she was drug off by both Starfire and Zacroma to the dreaded mall.

* * *

Raven let out a long yawn as she entered her room. She finally was able to set her heavy bags down and could massage her arms, chancing a glance in the mirror, she decided that this last trip was actually not that bad.

First the three had gone to a boutique, where Starfire got her hair trimmed and styled, and Zacroma got hers dyed again, a deep red-purple this time. Raven's hair got a trim, and, after talking to the lady doing it, decided to cut her two forelocks back to their original length. The two locks were then dyed black and white upon Zacroma's insistence. Raven didn't get the symbolism of this until _after_ they were walking out of the boutique and Zacroma made a vague reference between the 'Malchior & Rorek problem' and her hair.

She was _quite_ annoyed with Zacroma after that. Oh well, she could always remove the dye with magic if she decided she really didn't like it.

After that Zacroma dragged them to her favorite store and, miraculously, actually found quite a few outfits that Raven not only looked good in, but _liked_. Darkly colored mostly, of course, as the only white things that looked good on her were now battle costumes. Currently Raven was wearing a pair of grayish jeans, and a long, V-neck shirt whose sleeves fell about her arms and wrists in a loose fashion. It was dark violet as well, and had a black butterfly decorating the front. Ironic.

Raven fell onto her bed after slipping off her new boots. Her hair fall about her in an unfamiliar way, spreading out over her pillow. She'd tried to braid it last night, but had succeeded in making a big mess of it. In the end she'd just left it out, and had an even bigger mess to fix in the morning.

Stupid hair.

"Is it customary for people of this time to litter the underside of their bed with boxes?" Asked a familiar voice.

Raven didn't even sit up to look, "Malchior, _what_ are you doing under my bed?" She asked, her voice becoming more dangerous with every syllable.

"Well, what I _was_ doing was waiting for you to come back, but what I am doing right now is admiring your collection down here. This is a very interesting box, what's in it?" He asked, holding up an engraved silver box.

"The legendary blade of a dragon slayer." She growled threateningly.

"No it's not! I smell no dragon bane, and slayer swords always have dragon bane in the metal." He said. He slipped it back into its spot and pulled himself completely out from under the bed.

Raven twitched and stood up, "Do you have any _idea_ how much I'm going to hurt you now for coming into my room?" She questioned.

"Hmm, no, but I _do_ have an idea of how much you're going to hurt me for this." He said. She didn't even have time to process what he had just said before he had her form in his arms and his tongue in her mouth.

_I'm gonna kill him, I swear I am _going_ to **kill** him!_ She pushed against his chest and tried to keep him from pushing her back onto the bed. But she was a mage, not very physically strong as a human, and he was a dragon, probably with more strength than even Starfire. Nothing but an outright spell would work to get him off her. But...did she really want him off?

It was a classic case in most of the few books she read that had romance in them, her mind was screaming 'no' but her body wasn't obeying. After a moment she stopped pushing against him, and instead grabbed his shirt to pull him closer instead. She stopped resisting, and his kisses became less insistent and more loving. He caressed her cheek with one hand, running his fingers through her hair, and held her close by the small of her back with the other.

Her well of emotion started to rage as she began kissing him back as well. She had remembered, all those months ago, thinking about this moment. Spending weeks studying and working hard to free him, to be with him, just like this. And then he had betrayed her, laughed at her, mocked her feelings even. He'd used her like some toy, how could she forgive that? How could she just lay there and let him kiss her, and kiss him back no-less!

Because he was right, he was right when he told her she still loved him, he was right, and she had never been able to really let it go.

Tears were flowing from her eyes freely as they rolled on the bed so that their legs were no longer hanging off the edge. He held her close to him, twirling her hair about in his fingers. Finally their lips separated and he brought her hair to his face so he could breathe in her scent. "My Sweet Raven," He sighed, "I have truly hurt you, haven't I? Please, forgive me. I was such a fool. If only Rorek and I had begun merging a little sooner, maybe then I might have realized how much you mean to me. I love you, Raven, and I would die for you." He whispered into her ear.

He wasn't lying, he was telling her the absolute truth. She still had the Libra around her neck, hidden under her shirt. She didn't say anything, she didn't trust her voice, tears were still falling from her eyes, and she was still shaking with suppressed sobs. If she spoke she would begin to cry aloud and she wouldn't be able to stop.

Malchior seemed to sense this, though, and he didn't insist upon a response. He began planting soft, sweet kisses on her face, then down to her neck. Raven let out a soft gasp when he pulled down her sleeve and began licking her collar as well. Raven bit her lip, exactly how far was he intending to go with this? She should probably stop it now before things got out of hand, but...she didn't want to. She wanted a few more minutes of this, just a few more minutes...

Ironically, it was Malchior who stopped, giving her one last passionate kiss on the lips, and then sitting up on the bed. She sat up as well, her heart still beating swiftly. "I need you, Raven, and I can only bare to be far from you for so long. I know you love Rorek, but you have to understand, you cannot love him without loving me as well. Just as we cannot love one part of you without loving the other. He knows that as much as I do, but our natural instincts are going to make us fight over you and try to make you chose between us, as ridiculous as that may sound. We use to be a whole, and eventually we will be a whole once more, but at this time we are two individuals, and it will be difficult, even for us, to remember that we were and will be again, one person. That being said, please try to understand our actions. It is only for your sake that we're not warring with each other again." He said.

Raven swallowed her tears, "And, that's why you're merging? Because you found something you...agree on?" She questioned.

"That, among other things." He said, he lifted his hand up to stroke her cheek. "Kind of hard to fight when one of us was still inside a book, isn't it?" He said with a chuckle. He leaned forward to kiss her once more, "By the way," he said, "I like what you did with your hair." Raven felt her face go red as he slid off the bed and began to walk back to her door. "Goodnight, Love." He said before leaving.

"Goodnight."

* * *

"Malchior!!!" Rorek roared, nearly slamming the door open in his wake.

"You know Raven gets rather aggressive when someone goes into her room, perhaps, of course, because one's room is suppose to be one's sanctum." Malchior said, leering up at Rorek from his book.

"You would know all about that wouldn't you? Because you went into her room!" Rorek yelled at him.

"Must you be so loud? There are other people trying to sleep." Malchior responded, not at fazed by Rorek's accusation.

"Why were you in her room?! And don't try telling me you weren't, because that is the only place where I cannot sense you! What did you do, you b$$$$$$!?" He demanded, grabbing Malchior by his shirt.

"I did nothing, you imbecile, she bound me and then gave me a long painful lecture about entering her room and then she threw me out with a nasty threat for me to remember if ever I tried going back in." He answered.

"Why were you in there in the first place?!" Rorek demanded.

"Why do you _think_?" Malchior asked with a sly smirk.

Rorek threw him back to the ground. "You stay away from her! You hear me?! Leave her alone!" He exclaimed.

Malchior got up from the floor and tossed his book aside, "And just what makes you think I'm going to listen to _you_? I was here first, after all, if anyone should be staying away from her it would be you." He said.

"I know all about what you did," Rorek hissed, "I don't want you to stay away from her because I want her, I want you to stay away because of how much you hurt her the last time!!!" He yelled.

Malchior rolled his eyes, "I'll never hear the end of that, will I? You and I _both_ know I am not the same as I was then, and neither are you! I apologized to her, but I'm sure as h$not going to apologize to _you_." He said.

"You think a simple 'forgive me' will just fix that!? You don't even belong here! Give it time and you'll see, everyone hates you, they hate you for what you did to her! And if they were wary of me because of it, think of how much they'll glare at _you_ for being the cause!" Rorek exclaimed.

"Hmph! See if I care, I've paid my dues, I did my part, and I am doing what I can to heal the damage I've done to Raven. I have no guilt." He said, waving Rorek off with his hand.

"You think you can make things better for her?! Do you have any _idea_ what she did to herself afterwards?!" Rorek demanded.

"YES I DO!!!" Malchior rounded with a roar. "I was _there_ you imbecile!!! I could see her while she did it!!! I watched her!!! And you know what? I had _never_ intended to give her such pain! Many times I wanted to speak, to try and stop her, to comfort her. But hearing my voice would only have torn her even more! I know what I did to her! But if you think I'm just going to sit back and let _you_ do all the healing while I just stand aside you're in for a nasty surprise!"

They both glared at each other, wanting nothing more than to get at the other's throat and try to rip off their neck. But they resisted, both knowing that it would do more harm than good (even if it would make them feel better).

"We lost her once, lets not let that happen again." Malchior said finally.

Rorek pursed his lips and leered at his other half, "Very well." He said reluctantly. They grasped each other's hand in a stiff shake to finalize this agreement, and then Rorek left the room without another word, allowing Malchior to go back to his book.

* * *

A/N: FINISHED!!!!!!!!!!!! And I never thought I could actually get something like this done, BUT ITS FINISHED FINALLY!!! WHEEEEEEEE!!!!! Okay, first off I would like to dedicate this to whoever came up with the script for Spellbound. Okay no, just kidding, I wanna dedicate this to all my faithful reviewers!!! You guys have been great and have put up with my spelling errors...to a certain extent, but still!!! Ahem.

As for the sequel (Which most of you are yelling at me to write, may I remind you), it may take a few days before I get it up. For one I kinda want to work a bit on my website, make it nice and cool looking (Which is taking a lot longer than I had anticipated and will take much longer still), for another, I wanna see about getting some of the stuff for it sorted out before I start writing it. (Ideas for sub-plots would be helpful)

Alright! And now to respond to some reviews that I have the words to respond with for. (Did that make any sense whatsoever?) But before I do, let us all turn our attention to a select reviewer named PrepIam who has succeeded in getting on my one last nerve with _her/his_ nerve. If you will notice, this reviewer has been doing nothing but cussing in their reviews. They think this makes them sound sooooooo cool, and seem to be either extremely stupid, aren't getting the hint, or did _not_ read the note I left them in the last chapter's A/Ns. It leads me to wonder if this person actually _gets_ what is happening in this fic as they are continually displaying an ignorance worthy of a child under the age of 13. Now, I am not an easily angered person, it takes something that really grates upon my offense nerves to tick me off. But there are some things that _can_ anger me quite easily. Cussing in a review is one of these things. So, let us erect a Wall of Shame for this reviewer who has irked me into taking such an action.

And now, on a more cheerful note!

KuteVirgo: Yes, I think we all agree Malchior is very sexy. Especially after this chapter, LOL!

Kokuryu: Heheh, yeah, I thought that would be rather evil. I almost feel sorry for Raven..._almost_. Of course, it's hard to feel sorry for someone who has _two_ hot bishis (pretty boys) madly in love with her. And let's not forget that they are, in fact, dragons! (Begins to drool) But, anyway, thanks for your support, and I hope you were satisfied with the ending.

Pixie1011: Okay, now you're just doing that to annoy me. NO LEMONS!!! I put my foot down on that! So you'll just have to be happy with the Sweet Snugly Stuff!

Yukinna: Yeah, I couldn't decide which one to pick, so I decided that she should have them both instead. :D Which will ensure much chaos in the sequel. MUAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

TheDarkAzar: Thanks a heap, hearing someone say that about their hard work has got to be one of the most rewarding things an author can experience. Especially if said author is just a humble, unpublished fanfic writer like myself.

Raven002: You got your _boss_ reading my fic? . LOL!!! Well, I'm not gonna complain! And tell everyone at Raven's Eye that I say hi right back!

Dr. Evans: Thanks! I hope you liked it enough that you won't come and slay me, even if I perhaps finish the sequel and am therefore of no more use to you. Grins nervously

Alright, I think that's all I have to say. Save for THANK YOU SO MUCH EVERYONE FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT! YOU GUYS ARE THE GRATEST!!!! Except for PrepIam, and in case you haven't figured it out yet, yes, this _is_ a flame.

Anyway, I hope and pray that the sequel will be just as good. This is probably one of my best fanfics and I really think it turned out great. So, until next time,

The End


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